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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25182811">Even the stars fall in love</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarushi_art/pseuds/sarushi_art'>sarushi_art</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Photographer, Angst, Angst and Romance, F/M, Haikyuu - Freeform, Iwaizumi Hajime &amp; Oikawa Tooru Friendship, Iwaizumi Hajime - Freeform, Iwaizumi Hajime is a Good Boyfriend, Jealous Oikawa Tooru, Major Original Character(s), Minor Original Character(s), Oikawa Tooru is a Good Boyfriend, Original Character(s), Protective Iwaizumi Hajime, Sad Oikawa Tooru, Tokyo (City), oikawa tooru - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:35:21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>22,312</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25182811</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarushi_art/pseuds/sarushi_art</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"If I became some star in the universe...could you find me?" Oikawa asked.<br/>Aya smiled and, without the slightest hesitation, said, "I'd find you, I'm sorry"</p><p>Aya Sasaki is a 22-year-old paintress who loves to portray people above all. She lives in Tokyo, where she has just moved to be closer to the graduate school she attends. Her everyday life will be suddenly turned upside down by an eccentric photographer who happens to be her neighbor.<br/>She dreams of being able to capture the true beauty of life and to be able to portray it.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Oikawa Tooru/Original Female Character(s), Oikawa Tooru/Reader, Oikawa Tooru/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. You, no. Oikawa Tooru</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Memory is subtle, yet it rapresents our greatest security. It's precisely there that the past and things that no longer have life or meaning in the present continue to live. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Yet memory forgets. Less important memories fade to nothing, putting an end to their existence.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Nothing. This was what Kaito remembered about me. His memory cancelled me, yet he still exists in mine. I can't understand that everything we've been through has suddenly turned to dust. Yet I thought they were things so surprising, so solid, that not even death could have wiped them out. But it wasn't death that wiped them out, not in his case.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaito had an accident…God, I'm still hoping this is only a nightmare. Four years have passed and the nightmare continues.</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Tokyo was the city of thousand opportunities, and Aya had just caught one. She was just carrying some things to her new apartment, especially some boxes of acrylics and oil paints, when she heard someone snorting, clearly annoyed. She decided not to notice it, continuing to where she was headed.</p><p>“Hey, sorry” someone said, calling her.</p><p>Turning around, she saw that a guy, slightly taller than her, was staring at her with an embarrassed and desperate look. He scratched his head, before speaking again. </p><p>“I noticed you have white paint…could you lend me some?”</p><p>Aya continued to stare at him, confused, and then looked at the bucket of white paint she had brought in her apartment just before. She took it and handed it to the guy who apologized for the bother.</p><p>“Are you painting the walls?” she asked, peering into her neighbour's apartment.</p><p>“Yes…I have to finish within two hours”</p><p>“Would you mind if I help you? I'm a paintress, I can do it with colors” said the girl, smiling.</p><p>“Well…I don't think it's a problem” he replied, offering her a medium-sized brush.</p><p>So they started painting; he with a roller, while she preferred brushes.</p><p>“By the way, my name is Haru…Fujita Haru” said the guy, while she was intent on soaking the brush in the paint.</p><p>“Sasaki Aya, my pleasure!”</p><p>“Did you just move here?” the boy asked, giving her fleeting glances.</p><p>“Yes, I was just carrying the last things” she replied as she continued to paint.</p><p>“Have you lived here for long?”</p><p>“No, actually I…” Haru said, but stopped when he heard the door open.</p><p>A slight but firm noise of footsteps was getting closer and closer, until a tall boy with wavy light brown hair and eyes of the same colour appeared. He stared at the two with a surprised look, then turned to the wall that Aya had painted, going pale, while his eyes expressed pure irritation.</p><p>Haru, confused, turned his gaze to that same wall and looked at Aya, shocked. The wall was all white and various colours filled the empty spaces in perfect harmony.</p><p>“I said white paint” said the boy who had just entered, staring at the other with a stern look.</p><p>“I know but…”</p><p>“A little colour doesn't hurt anyone” said Aya, trying to play down the situation, partly because she couldn't understand the newcomer's behavior, since it wasn't even his home.</p><p>The boy turned to her, looking at her as if she were an insect. Or at least, this was the feeling that Aya sensed.</p><p>“Thanks for the help…” Haru said softly, making her understand that it was better to leave.</p><p>Aya smiled slightly, as she left the apartment to go back to hers. The boy provokes in her some shivers. He wasn't completely scary, but there was something about him that…just wasn't right.</p><p>“I’m lucky I don’t have a neighbour like him…” the girl thought, before going back to fixing her things.</p><p>The next day, the alarm clock decided not to ring. When Aya realized that she was late for her first lesson, she got up quickly.</p><p>“Damn…it had to happen just the first day!” she exclaimed to herself, slightly angry with her old alarm clock which, by now, had decided to say goodbye.</p><p>The girl had moved to Tokyo just to attend a graduate school for artistic disciplines. Once she had taken everything she needed, she closed the door and ran to the elevator. She pressed the button, but someone along with her was already pressing it. She looked up only to find herself in front of the irritating boy with the wavy hair of the day before.</p><p>“Y-you...?” Aya exclaimed as the elevator door opened.</p><p>The boy said nothing, merely entering the elevator, crossing his arms. She was dumbfounded and followed him before the doors closed again. Silence dominated the atmosphere. Aya took a quick look at him when she noticed that he had a Canon EOS 750D around his neck.</p><p>“Are you a photographer?” she asked, suddenly breaking the silence.</p><p>The boy slowly turned to face her, then returned to his original position.</p><p>“Nice of you to start a conversation having not yet apologized for how you have painted the walls of my apartment” he said dryly, staring straight ahead.</p><p>Aya's eyes widened in shock. He was the owner of that apartment, not Haru as she had mistakenly thought. Back then, that meant...</p><p>“A-are you my neighbor?!” she exclaimed, surprised and terrified.</p><p>“Unfortunately for me, yes” said the boy, and then got off the elevator, since the doors had opened.</p><p>Aya stares at him, open-mouthed, as she tried to stop the doors trying to close again. She went to university, leaving negative thoughts for later. After all, it was enough to ignore him, as most people did with thei neighbours.</p><p>She was so relieved to have found a kind and nice person like Haru that the discovery of her true neighbour had sent her haywire. She shooked her head slightly, then continued on her way to her graduate school.</p><p>The lessons were interesting, especially the practical ones, where Aya showed off her incredible talent.</p><p>“Why don’t you attend a pictorial course on landscapes?” one of her teachers suggested, noticing her gap in painting natural elements.</p><p>“I know I am somewhat discreet, but I would like to focus more on portraits” explained the pupil, trying to use the right words.</p><p>The professor laughed heartily, then gently said to her: "You will never be able to appreciate art if you don't learn to paint everything around you"</p><p>Aya stared at him, as if he had said something shocking, and then smiled.</p><p>“Thanks, I’ll follow your advice</p><p>The pictorial lesson on landscapes was to begin in less than 5 minutes. Aya tried to reach the right classroom, and then took her place as soon as the professor began to explain.</p><p>“Look, the stars are in the mood today” commented someone next to her, making her jump in fright, since she was focused on the lesson.</p><p>Turning around to see who was talking to her was a really bad idea. The Canon EOS 750D was still hanging around his neck, while one hand held his head, his gaze fixed on the professor.</p><p>“Y-you…?!” she exclaimed, trying to keep her voice low.</p><p>“Oikawa Tooru” said the boy, without taking his eyes off the teacher.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“At least you will stop calling me with a generic 'you' ” he added, looking at her, before returning to listen to the lesson.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yahoo!<br/>Hope you like it! Just wait...the best is yet to come!<br/>I've posted it on wattpad too, if you want you can check it there too.<br/>Till the next part,<br/>See ya! ;P</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A chocolate, please</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As soon as the pictorial lesson on landscapes ended, Oikawa took his things and left without saying a word. Aya, somewhat intrigued by the boy's behavior, followed him. She still wanted to ask him something before she finally disappeared from his sight.</p><p>"Will you stop following me?" the boy said, indifferent but slightly irritated.</p><p>"What did you mean by 'the stars are in the mood today'?" she said.</p><p>She was really curious, she wanted to know the meaning of that phrase that she had never heard before.</p><p>Oikawa stopped, staring at her perplexed, with his hands in his pockets. He looked at her from head to toe, and then turned his gaze to the sky: beautiful and soft white clouds decorated that vast blue cornflower sea. He seemed to have gotten lost by looking at it, but then he said: "It is the stars that write our destiny"</p><p>Aya, uncertain, stared at him carefully. She didn't believe in fate. No more, at least. She had abandoned the idea that everything had already been written, that certain things happened simply because they had to happen. It wasn’t like this. Everyone was the architect of their own destiny, and that was what had been guiding Aya for many years now.</p><p>"The stars don't write anything at all, they just light up the sky," she said, while the boy looked at her in surprise.</p><p> </p><p>A few days passed, and Aya continued to attend classes regularly. The professors were increasingly pleased with her progress, but she still didn’t appreciate much the pictorial lessons on landscapes. Aya didn’t have the patience to be there to paint branch by branch, leaf by leaf, petal by petal. She simply didn't like drawing nature.</p><p>She was also very careful not to sit next to her wacky neighbor. Every morning, punctually at half past seven in the morning, they both met in front of the elevator on their floor unwittingly. Neither of them uttered a word, exchanging long silences, broken only by the sound of the elevator doors opening.</p><p>Aya had made acquaintance with a girl named Miki, who attended most of her own courses. Miki was a girl slightly shorter than her, with short blond hair. She was specializing in abstract painting and studying murals and graffiti. From the outside it could seem that Aya was the opposite of Miki, but in reality the two shared many things: the love for art in general, for the same music and also both loved to attend a bar in particular, behind the street corner in front of the university.</p><p>One day, at the end of the lessons, the girls were going, as usual, to their usual place to have a drink.</p><p>“Aya, I heard that a coffee not far from here makes excellent crepes! And then I would also like to try their cappuccino, "said Miki excitedly, while smiling.</p><p>"Do you feel like going there?"</p><p>"Okay," said Aya, smiling back, as she was intent on reading a message.</p><p>The text dictated:</p><p>“Aya, how are you? I know you've started the courses, and I'm sorry to disturb you in the least opportune moments. Would you mind coming to visit Kaito? I know it's painful, but I can say he misses you even if he never expresses it. I’ll wait for you"</p><p>The girl's brow furrowed for a moment, then smoothed out, leaving room for a melancholy expression.</p><p>"Everything good?" asked her friend, worried.</p><p>"Hmm? Yes, it's nothing "</p><p>Four years had passed now. Aya hadn't had the strength to see Kaito again. Not after what he said after the accident.</p><p>
  <em>"Who are you?"</em>
</p><p>Two simple words.</p><p>
  <em>"Have we met before?"</em>
</p><p>Kaito and Aya were returning from a date that day. Yes, they were dating. Theirs was a love of those who blossomed in high school: fresh, overwhelming, yet ephemeral. All that love… thrown away by an accident. Accidents are known to be random, unwanted, dictated by fate.</p><p>Kaito had been run over by a car driven by an apparently drunk man. He had been run over just when Aya was calling him. Yes, she called him because she realized she was still wearing his soft scarf. She wanted to give it back to him, and say goodbye again, to make an appointment the next day. Kaito had turned around, for a moment that was fatal to say the least. Two lights, screams of terror and then silence.</p><p>The boy had been operated on urgently, and he had regained consciousness after three days. When he awoke, he didn't even remember his name.</p><p>Nakayama Kaito. That was what the doctors told him to call himself.</p><p>"And who is she?" he asked, pointing to Aya looking worried, leaning against the wall.</p><p>"It is your friend, Sasaki Aya, do you remember her?" said the doctor.</p><p>Kaito shook his head, his puzzled gaze fixed on her. He had forgotten her.</p><p>Aya was brought to reality by Miki, when she realized that they had arrived at the cafe of which, probably, she had talked to her all the way. They entered, and took their seats by the window.</p><p>“How many good things! I don't know what to choose! " Miki exclaimed happily, snatching a smile from her friend.</p><p>"You would be able to spend all your money on sweets," Aya observed as she looked at the menu.</p><p>"Hajime also tells me often," said Miki, attracting the attention of the other.</p><p>"Who is Hajime?"</p><p>Miki looked at her for a moment in surprise, then smiled.</p><p>"How did I not tell you?! Hajime is my boyfriend"</p><p>Aya stared at her with an almost shocked expression, and then smiled at her.</p><p>"What kind is he?"</p><p>Miki's eyes lit up at that question. As soon as she started to answer, someone interrupted them.</p><p>"The stars are really giving us in"</p><p>The two girls looked up at the waiter who had interrupted their speech, finding themselves in front of none other than Oikawa Tooru.</p><p>"Could I take your orders?"</p><p>"Y-you?!" Aya exclaimed, her eyes wide.</p><p>The boy looked up at the sky, puffing, and then waited for the orders of the two customers.</p><p>"For me a chocolate crepe and a cappuccino," said Miki, who laughed at the sight of Oikawa.</p><p>He whispered to her something, which Aya interpreted as: "Don't laugh, Miki-chan"</p><p>Something told her that her friend already knew Oikawa, and this caught her attention. When she realized that the boy was still standing in front of her, while staring at her with an irritated look, she said: "A chocolate, please"</p><p>Tooru marked everything on a pad, then disappeared from their sight.</p><p>"You know him?!" Aya exclaimed once he was gone.</p><p>"Well, of course. He goes to our own university…" Miki replied, while writing messages on the phone.</p><p>"I don’t mean that"</p><p>Miki looked away from her cell phone to look her friend in the eye.</p><p>"Oikawa…is Hajime's best friend"</p><p>"What?!" Aya exclaimed, attracting the attention of other customers who looked at her suspiciously.</p><p>Tooru returned with the things they had ordered, handing the crepe and cappuccino to Miki and the chocolate to Aya. The boy looked at the latter with an indifferent, but curious look, and then left, returning to serve other customers.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Cherry season</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>That evening Aya wasn’t feeling well. There was a strange feeling in her…frustration, anger, sadness, abandonment. Ever since Kaito's mother had written her that message, she hadn't been able to sleep. She took a canvas and began to throw in the first colors she had at hand. She hit the canvas with the brush with an aggressiveness never experienced, yet she didn't want to feel that way. She was angry with herself, with fate…with the stars.</p><p>
  <em>"It is the stars that write our destiny"</em>
</p><p>Lies. It’s not so. There’s nothing written and nothing decided. But if there was really something, or someone, that moved our life at will…what would happen? Would we feel more relieved, happy, hopeful? Knowing that someone is leading our life…would it really be a relief?</p><p>Aya looked at the canvas and the painting that had just come out. It was an incomprehensible and confused mixture of colors, and drops still fell along the edges, staining the floor. Aya put the brush on the ground, while tears streamed down her face.</p><p>"Kaito…" she whispered to herself, as she sat beside the bed, squeezing the blanket, getting smaller and smaller.</p><p>She heard a strange noise outside the window, so she decided to get up to go and see. She went out onto her balcony and looked down the street lit by the many cars. Her apartment was on the seventh floor, so the sight was amazing.</p><p>The sky that evening was a sapphire blue, decorated with small and very bright lights. Aya admired it for a while, absorbed. She leaned against the balcony railing, sighing.</p><p>"If you don't pay attention, you’ll risk making a nice flight"</p><p>Aya jumped, looking in the direction the voice came from. To her right there was another balcony, identical to hers, only the owner changed. Surprised, she was about to say something but was interrupted.</p><p>"You won't say 'you' again, I hope," Tooru said, looking at her seriously.</p><p>"I didn't think you were still awake"</p><p>"What happened to your eyes?" he asked, noting the redness that surrounded her irises.</p><p>Aya shifted her gaze to the sky, without saying anything. She didn't want to talk about it, not with a stranger like Oikawa. He was only her neighbor, he attended her own university, but she considered him nothing more than a stranger. After a while, she decided to return inside, greeting the boy.</p><p>The next morning, Aya noticed that she had overslept. It was 8.30 a.m, the lessons had already begun. She hurriedly got ready and went out, but a small white bag hung on the door knob. Opening it, she discovered inside three chocolate bars, all of different tastes. There was also a note: “Chocolate will help you with the horrible dark circles that you will find yourself in the morning. O.T. "</p><p>Aya, initially shocked, couldn't help smiling, slipping it into her bag and locking the door.</p><p>"He manages to irritate me even when he’s not physically present"</p><p> </p><p>During the pictorial lesson on landscapes, Aya's gaze was fixed on Oikawa, who was absorbed in his thoughts while listening to the lesson on the other side of the classroom.</p><p>"Don't tell me…" Miki said, making her return to reality.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>Aya looked at her confused, understanding what her friend meant without her saying a word.</p><p>"Stop immediately thinking what you are thinking"</p><p>"But it seems so" Miki replied, laughing, returning to exchange messages with her beloved Hajime, while the professor explained how to give the right shades of green to Mediterranean shrubs.</p><p>"Look, Aya," Miki said to her after class, while the other was sorting things out in her bag.</p><p>“Would you like to come with me and Hajime to the cafe where Oikawa works? We wanted to annoy him a little!”</p><p>"I have a commitment, but I think you will do a great job even without me" said Aya, laughing at the idea of an annoyed and frustrated Oikawa.</p><p>She had no intention of returning to that cafe after discovering that he worked there. It was enough to see him every morning and every lesson.</p><p>“Okay, but I won't accept an apology next time. I want to introduce Hajime to you properly" said Miki, as she greeted her, leaving.</p><p>Aya took the opportunity to go into the open countryside and practice portraying nature. She still had to improve and her professor wouldn’t be happy until he saw a job well done.</p><p>She decided to observe the colors of the flowers and plants that surrounded her. Vast exppanses of wheat and cherry trees reigned over the landscape. Small streams ran calm and clear to her right.</p><p>Aya cautiously approached the stream, as the ground was quite slippery. She wanted to touch the water and cool off a bit, since the sun had caused a sultry heat.</p><p>Just when she took the last step, she felt the ground unstable and slipped, but strangely she didn’t fall. She felt that someaone was holding her tight and stable, dragging her two steps back.</p><p>“The stars are definitely having fun”</p><p>“O-Oikawa?!” she exclaimed, while the boy looked at her surprised since she had finally pronounced his name.</p><p>She took a step back to detach herself from him, since they were too close, but she slipped again, this time dragging the boy with her. They both fell into the stream, bathing from head to toe. The water was slightly cold and caused many chills. Oikawa’s hair, previously wavy, now fell on his forehead, dripping.</p><p>“Sorry” Aya said, looking at him with a sorry expression, as she collected the things that had fallen from her bag, which was also soaked.</p><p>Oikawa stood up, wringing the shirt he was wearing, while watching the girl tidy up her things.</p><p>“What are you doing here? Didn’t you have to be…at the cafe?” she asked, once she got her things back.</p><p>“Today I have the day off”</p><p>Aya thought of poor Miki and Hajime who must have wasted their time by going to the cafe specifically to annoy Oikawa, and a smile escaped from her lips.</p><p>“And you?”</p><p>“I wanted to practice portraying landscapes” she replied, pointing to the canvas that was now unusable.</p><p>Oikawa lookes away, then pointed to a place near the cherry trees.</p><p>“We can hang your bag there to let it dry” he said.</p><p>Once they arrived there, they were surrounded by cherry trees and the sun’s rays fell gently on the leaves and on the ground.</p><p>Oikawa sat down on the grass, running a hand over his still wet hair. He took off his soaked shoes and let them dry.</p><p>“Were you training?” asked Aya while rummaging in her purse.</p><p>“Yes, I always come here to run”</p><p>Aya sat down next to him, suddenly offering hi mone of the chocolate bars that Oikawa had left her that morning.</p><p>“You’ll be hungry after the effort you made training” she said, but he refused.</p><p>“I don’t feel like it. I offered it to you”</p><p>Aya snorted and relaxed, imitating the boy. He seemed to have closed his eyes to rest, while she looked up into the sky. Her gaze then moved to the leaves of the tree above them and she noticed small red spots.</p><p>“Cherries!” she exclaimed, rising suddenly, frightening Oikawa.</p><p>The boy stood up, looking at the girl who was trying to pick up some of them. She jumped here and there, trying to grab them, but she was too short. Oikawa joined her and it was easy for him to collect them since he was a tall boy.</p><p>“Thanks…” Aya said as the boy handed them to her.</p><p>He started to return to his seat but she stopped him.</p><p>“Oikawa, could you help me pick up some more?”</p><p>Tooru stares at her, then smiled slightly, while the girl pointed to the places where the ripe cherries were located. Here yes were so bright, so lively…not like the night before when she had seen her on the balcony, red and dull. Oikawa smiled at that sight, looking at her gently, without her noticing.</p><p>Once an entire bag was filled, the two returned home. They got on the elevator and, as always, there was an atmosphere of silence. Once on the seventh floor, they left the elevator but stopped at the sight of two figures familar to them. Or rather, Oikawa knew them both.</p><p>“So this was your commitment?” commented Miki, hand on hips.</p><p>To her left, a boy taller than her but shorter than Oikawa, raven-haired and olive-colored eyes flanked her.</p><p>“What are you doing here?” asked Oikawa, somewhat surprised.</p><p>“I wanted to indroduce Hajime to Aya” explained Miki.</p><p>Aya approached the two and greeted her friend’s boyfriend politely.</p><p>“Nice to meet you, I’m Iwaizumi Hajime” he said, smiling at her.</p><p>“My pleasure. Miki told me a lot about you”</p><p>“Iwa-chan, you are disturbing when you behave like this” Oikawa commented, as he tried to open the door of his apartment to take refuge inside.</p><p>“Don’t try to escape, Oikawa” said the other, suddenly distorted.</p><p>“You picked cherries!” Miki exclaimed, noticing the bag that Aya carried.</p><p>“How about we ate them all together?” she added.</p><p>“Yes, Oikawa could host us” said Iwaizumi, glancing at his friend while Tooru snorted, opening the door and inviting the girls to enter.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. On my path</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was the second time that Aya had entered the boy's apartment. The first time she didn't even know that he was the owner and now Miki and her boyfriend had forced her.</p><p>Oikawa also seemed irritated by the thing, but tried not to show it. The last time she crossed that threshold, Aya had smeared the walls of the apartment, making the boy angry. Nobody, however, except the two of them and Haru, knew about that episode, so it was better to pretend nothing.</p><p>The Canon EOS 750D was carefully placed on top of a coffee table, next to an empty flowerpot. She noticed that the wall which she’d painted had been covered with white paint, but the colors below were still visible.</p><p>“What happened here? Didn't you have to get it whitewashed by Fujita?” Hajime asked, pointing to the badly covered wall with white paint.</p><p>"Yes…I had unexpected problems," replied Oikawa, glancing at Aya, then heading to the kitchen.</p><p>"So?" Miki whispered to her friend once Hajime followed Tooru.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Did you notice which apartment you are in right now?"</p><p>Aya looked at her friend with a confused look, and then realized her true intentions.</p><p>"You…Miki, why did you do it?!" she exclaimed, while the other motioned her to lower her voice.</p><p>"I saw how you looked at him during painting…I did it for you" Miki replied, winking at her.</p><p>"It's not like you're thinking! There is no person in the world that irritates me more," said Aya, but Miki had already joined the boys.</p><p>Iwaizumi and Miki had sat next to each other while Oikawa was washing the cherries. Aya went to help him, since it was she who had asked him to collect them.</p><p>"Let me help you"</p><p>Aya took some and rinsed them, while Tooru looked at her in surprise.</p><p>"Sorry for the wall. I didn't think that…" Aya began, trying to break that annoying silence.</p><p>"It doesn't matter, now what's done is done," he replied, while rinsing the last cherries.</p><p>"I know you're irritated because I'm here now, but…" Aya said, as she turned to look at him, but he interrupted her, holding a dark red cherry in front of her face.</p><p>At the questioning look of the girl, he said: "The darkest ones are the best"</p><p>Aya took it, and continued to stare at him puzzled, while he took the dishes to bring them to the table. She and Oikawa had to sit close in front of their two friends.</p><p>"Why didn't you call me all this time, Oikawa?" Iwaizumi asked seriously.</p><p>"I was busy," replied Tooru, snorting.</p><p>Aya stared at them, curious, while Miki was stuffing herself with cherries. When she noticed the look of her friend, she said: "Hajime is an art curator"</p><p>"Really?!" Aya exclaimed more excited than necessary, while her eyes sparked joy.</p><p>Hajime and Oikawa stared at her in surprise, while Miki laughed heartily.</p><p>"Aya is an excellent portraitist, and she is making progress with the landscapes too," Miki said to her boyfriend, as Aya was busy admiring Hajime.</p><p>"I can't wait to admire some of your works then," he said, smiling at her.</p><p>Then he turned to Oikawa, and gave him a serious look.</p><p>"You, rather, try to get me the photos for the exhibition"</p><p>Oikawa pretended not to hear, and turned his gaze to the window, snorting.</p><p>"So you're really a professional photographer," said Aya, breaking Hajime's killer gaze.</p><p>“And he’s also good. He just doesn't meet deadlines,” said Iwaizumi, irritated.</p><p>"You know very well that inspiration is needed for these things, Iwa-chan"</p><p>"Don't tell me you're not inspired…you said that, what was that girl's name…Chiyo? You certainly weren't missing inspiration," said Miki, drawing Aya's attention.</p><p>"I broke with her two months, Miki-chan, and you know it well"</p><p>Oikawa seemed irritated, but he hid his mood well behind that indifferent mask he had built.</p><p>“You have to stop dating a thousand girls, Oikawa. Is it so difficult to keep only one?" Hajime scolded him.</p><p>"I would never want to end up like you two" replied Tooru, winking, irritating Iwaizumi.</p><p>“Aya never talks to me about her love life! Are you interested in someone?" Miki asked, teasing her.</p><p>Aya, taken aback, widened her eyes. She didn't know what to answer, she hadn't been asked that question for a long time.</p><p>Kaito came to mind, and all the unforgettable moments they had spent together. A melancholy gaze now reigned on her face, leaving room for nostalgia.</p><p>Oikawa noticed it, but said nothing, even if he wanted to know more.</p><p>"No," she replied, even if it meant otherwise.</p><p>Kaito was no longer her boyfriend, and she was nothing to him. Aya looked down as her friend and Iwaizumi looked at her perplexed.</p><p>"There must have been someone you fell in love with!" Miki said trying to pull her up, but Iwaizumi motioned her to change the subject.</p><p>"I remember that in elementary school Oikawa was crazy about a girl from our own school," said Hajime, laughing, while Tooru asked him not to say anything.</p><p>"Why do you suddenly come up with these arguments, Iwa-chan?!"</p><p>Aya looked up to see a frustrated Oikawa, who tried not to let Iwaizumi speak.</p><p>"Oikawa was always isolated from the others for his bad personality, but there was this girl who continued to protect him, scaring the bullies who after a while left him alone" explained Hajime, while Miki listened to him curiously.</p><p>"You never told me this story!"</p><p>"Oikawa asked me not to tell anyone"</p><p>"I don't think you've kept your promise right now!" Tooru exclaimed, annoyed.</p><p>After a while, Miki and Hajime said goodbye, as it was getting late and they still had to go to a shop to buy things.</p><p>Aya helped Oikawa to clear it, partly because it was her fault that they ended up in that situation that evening.</p><p>"So, I'm going," she said finally, greeting him.</p><p>"Wait up"</p><p>Aya turned, observing the tall figure of the boy in front of her, who stared at her with a perplexed but intense gaze.</p><p>He held out his hand, saying, "I have to show you something"</p><p>Puzzled, she placed her hand on his palm. Oikawa squeezed it, leading her to the balcony of his apartment.</p><p>"Look"</p><p>Aya looked up to the sky, dotted with a thousand lights, while a beautiful full moon reigned in the night. Surprised, she turned to the boy who was admiring that starry sky with a smile.</p><p>"Oikawa"</p><p>"I thought it would cheer you up after…well…"</p><p>Aya had completely forgotten the melancholy she had experienced a while ago, remembering Kaito. When she was with Oikawa she couldn't think of anything negative.</p><p>"Thank you"</p><p>Tooru smiled slightly, then went back to looking at the sky.</p><p>"The wall…did you repaint it?"</p><p>"Yes, Haru got angry about how I behaved that day and so I had to do it myself" he explained.</p><p>"Can't you whitewash?" Aya concluded, amused.</p><p>He sought an excuse, but found none satisfactory, so he left it alone. Painting wasn't for him.</p><p>"What was the name of the girl you had a crush on when you were a kid?" asked Aya.</p><p>She was a really curious girl.</p><p>"I don't remember," replied Oikawa, with a hint of sadness in his voice.</p><p>He seemed annoyed that he had forgotten it.</p><p>"Why do you always mention the stars when we meet?" Aya asked, remembering the boy's strange mania every time he saw her.</p><p>
  <em>"Look, the stars are in the mood today"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"The stars are really giving us inside"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"The stars are definitely having fun"</em>
</p><p>"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Oikawa asked, looking intently at her, smiling.</p><p>Aya's eyes widened, puzzled. She didn't know what to think, and she didn't even know why she was blushing, albeit slightly.</p><p>“Believe it or not, but the stars really guide our lives. And I don't know why fate keeps putting you in my way" said Oikawa seriously, staring at the girl.</p><p>The more she looked at him, the more Aya got lost. Nothing made sense in his presence anymore. Somehow, that boy managed to erase all her past, making her live in the present and hope for the future.</p><p>Oikawa…who was he? He was not human, he couldn’t be. Not for the things that he made her feel. Their hands still clenched, unconsciously. Something inside her chest banged for a moment, to then leave room for the empty silence that had filled her for years.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Monster</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry I'm late! I'll post two chapters to apologize :) <br/>Let me know what you think! ;P</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>It was a spring day. The soft rays of the sun hit the trees and buildings, giving rise to a magnificent play of light and shadow. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>In an elementary school in the city, during the lunch break, however, something was wrong. In the courtyard, a frail boy with wavy light brown hair and eyes of the same color stared in surprise at his other peers.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Hey, we heard you don't have parents," said a child.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Which monster has parents?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yes, you really are a monster!" another exclaimed.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"My name is Tooru Oikawa, I'm not a monster" the boy replied.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Loud and thunderous laughter reigned the atmosphere. Oikawa continued to stare at them, perplexed: he couldn’t understand their behavior.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"A monster always remains a monster"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tooru looked up, but could not clearly distinguish the figures before him. His vision clouded, and tears began to drop.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm not a monster…" Oikawa kept repeating between sobs, curled up behind a bush, in the shade, once those children had left him alone.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He looked up at the clear sky, decorated with white clouds, while tears continued to flow down his cheeks like streams. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why are you crying?" suddenly said a voice. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tooru turned his gaze in its direction and saw that a small girl was looking at him with a puzzled expression, her hands behind her back. He lowered his head, placed it on his knees, and didn't answer. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Lessons have started for a while" she pointed out. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I don't want to go" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The girl looked at him curiously with those dark eyes of hers. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>He approached him, and said: "They’re the real monsters" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oikawa looked up to stare at her with wide eyes, half-open mouth. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“They probably don't even know what the word monster means. I mean…a monster should have tentacles, five eyes, six fingers…you look okay" she said, smiling. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tooru stared at her in amazement. He wiped his tears and tried to smile back. Then she held out her hand. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What's your name?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Tooru…Oikawa" he replied, shaking her hand. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>She smiled, then was interrupted by the boy. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What's your name?" he asked curiously. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm…" he replied, but everything vanished.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Oikawa abruptly sat up, the sheets of his bed surrounded him. He was sweating cold: he still had that dream. It must have been because of the night before, when Iwaizumi had brought up that memory.</p><p>He put a hand to his head and ruffled his hair, staring into space.</p><p>"Shit" he sighed, getting out of bed to head for the bathroom.</p><p>He rinsed his face, then looked in the mirror.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"A monster always remains a monster"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The more he stared at his figure, the more those memories came back to him. He closed his eyes, squeezed his cheek, then started dressing. He looked at the phone, noting a message from Iwaizumi: “Come to me with the materials, we have to discuss some things. I won't give you one more day"</p><p>"Ah, Iwa-chan. Always so grumpy” Oikawa said as he gathered up his things before leaving.</p><p>He stared at the door of Aya's apartment on his right. The girl was still sleeping, after all it was 6.30 in the morning. They would not have taken the elevator together that day to go to university.</p><p>"Why don't you try showing Hajime some work?" Miki asked, while they were busy painting an araucaria.</p><p>"I have nothing extraordinary enough to exhibit in an exhibition," said Aya, as she tried to give the right shades of green to the painting.</p><p>"Rather tell me… what did you and Oikawa do after we left?"</p><p>Aya jumped to hear that phrase, almost taken aback.</p><p>"Nothing of what your mind imagines!"</p><p>"Too bad," Miki replied, disappointed.</p><p>"He didn't even come to class today," Aya noted, thinking back on the fact that she hadn't seen him since the night before.</p><p>"He is with Hajime. They had to discuss the exhibition"</p><p>Surprised Aya stared at her. After all, Oikawa was a professional photographer. He had to receive many offers to exhibit his photos in famous photography exhibitions. However, she had never seen any of the photos the boy had taken, and her curiosity didn’t give her peace.</p><p>“We can go to them later. Take some of your pictures with you, so Hajime can give you an opinion," said Miki, interpreting her thought.</p><p>After class and recovered some canvases, the two girls headed for the art gallery where Iwaizumi worked. Aya looked around with surprise, fixing her gaze on every little detail. Only after a few minutes did she realize that Miki was taking her to an office, and they found Hajime and Tooru arguing.</p><p>"So let's start preparations on Monday," said Iwaizumi seriously.</p><p>"Do as you wish"</p><p>"Guys!" Miki greeted them entering with a smile, followed by Aya who held her canvas tight.</p><p>"What are you doing here?" Iwaizumi asked returning the smile and leaving a sweet kiss on his girlfriend's cheek.</p><p>Oikawa disapproved of that gesture, simulating vomiting.</p><p>“I accompanied Aya. She wanted to show you her paintings," Miki explained, looking at her friend who had stood motionless on the threshold, hesitant.</p><p>Oikawa turned to her and, surprised, said nothing.</p><p>"Come in, I'm curious to see them," said Hajime encouraging her.</p><p>"Well, then I'll be going" said Tooru, who wanted to leave as soon as possible.</p><p>"Stand still where you are," the other ordered in a threatening tone.</p><p>It might sound absurd, but Tooru listened to Hajime more than anyone else. He closed the door and leaned against the wall, snorting. Aya handed his paintings to Iwaizumi and he began to examine them. The more he looked at them, the more surprisingly innovative he found them.</p><p>"This…how…?" Hajime tried to say, referring to the picture that Aya most hated.</p><p>It was the same painting she had painted that evening, letting off steam, throwing anger, frustration and pain into it when she thought about Kaito.</p><p>"It's just the result of a melancholy evening, nothing…" Aya tried to explain, but the boy jumped up, not believing his ears.</p><p>"Did you accomplish this…in one evening?" he exclaimed, while Tooru shook his head at the excessive reaction of his friend.</p><p>"Y-yes…"</p><p>“The portraits are also interesting, but they are few to make an exhibition. When you have painted some of them, you will have your own exhibition "</p><p>Aya's eyes brightened as Miki clapped her hands with enthusiasm. An exhibition…would never have thought of going so far in such a short time. Were her paintings really worth anything? Yet she felt that she had not yet managed to give her best, she hadn’t yet portrayed true beauty.</p><p>"Thanks, Iwaizumi!" she said, nodding a bow.</p><p>Hajime smiled at her satisfied, and announced that he had things to do with Miki, so he recommended Tooru to take Aya home. Since they lived in the same building and on the same floor, they had to endure the entire journey.</p><p>"Not bad for your paintings," Tooru said, breaking the silence as they walked down the street.</p><p>"Thanks…" she replied smiling slightly, but a high-pitched sound made her understand that she had received a message.</p><p>She opened the phone and read: "Please Aya, come and visit us. I know it's painful, and I also know that I don't even have the right to write to you, though…"</p><p>Aya closed the phone; now a melancholy expression reigned on his face. What was she supposed to do? She felt hurt, yet a sense of guilt ran through her whole body. Should she go to Kaito? After four years…what would she say to him?</p><p>Oikawa didn't miss the girl's strange mood. After reading a message, she had completely changed her expression. What was it about? What had she read so shocking enough to get dark in that way?</p><p>"I have to stop to one place, wait for me here," Tooru said suddenly, drawing her attention.</p><p>"I can go back alone, don't worry," Aya replied.</p><p>"No"</p><p>Oikawa stopped her, gently squeezing her wrist. He let go, while she stared at him perplexed.</p><p>"Wait for me here, okay?"</p><p>Aya watched him go, and sat on a small bench nearby, clutching her beloved paintings. She tried to think of something positive, such as the exhibition, her past, but Kaito had the upper hand. She had to go see him, and she would close that matter once and for all.</p><p>Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft hazelnut and pistachio flavored ice cream that appeared in front of her face. Oikawa sat down beside her while enjoying his.</p><p>"Eat it, or it will drip everything on your clothes making you even less presentable"</p><p>Aya gave him an irritated look, then stared at the ice cream.</p><p>"How do you know my favorite flavors?"</p><p>Oikawa looked up, and smiled at her.</p><p>"Because they're mine too," he replied simply.</p><p>Aya turned to him to notice that he was holding a cone with the same tastes.</p><p>"The chances of me having your same taste in ice cream were very few," she said, stunned.</p><p>"Yes, if you don't count that the stars continue to have fun with our lives"</p><p>Aya snorted, then said, "You’re really obsessed with these stars"</p><p>"I cannot do without…"</p><p>Once the ice cream was over, they went home. The elevator marked the seventh floor, and both went down.</p><p>"Thanks for…well, you always cheer me up," said Aya, then blushed when she realized what she had just said.</p><p>Oikawa laughed heartily, drawing her attention.</p><p>"I feel better too. This morning I felt like…a monster "</p><p>“A monster should have tentacles, five eyes, six fingers, don't you think? You look fine," Aya said smiling.</p><p>Tooru's eyes widened, and he remained open-mouthed.</p><p>"Oikawa?" she asked, puzzled.</p><p>"Sorry, it's nothing"</p><p>"See you" Aya said, greeting him, entering her apartment.</p><p>Oikawa remained motionless for a while, then entered the house.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"What's your name?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Tooru…Oikawa" he replied, shaking her hand.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She smiled, then was interrupted by the boy.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What's your name?" he asked curiously.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'm Aya Sasaki"</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. I remember, you forgot</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Oikawa remembers, Aya forgot.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading my story! <br/>I hope you like it!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sasaki Aya.</p><p>They kept repeating this name, but Kaito just couldn't remember anything. She didn't have to be such an important person, after all. According to the doctors, she was a friend and school friend of his. His mother kept talking to him about her, how many things they had done together, and kept promising him that Aya would come to see him. Kaito felt a great void in his heart, he had to admit it. Was Aya the cause? He didn't know it either.</p><p>Sasaki Aya.</p><p>Oikawa couldn’t believe it. All this time, the little girl he’d always admired was in front of his eyes. All this time, he had forgotten her name. How was he supposed to behave with her from then on? He certainly couldn’t pretend nothing.</p><p>Oikawa went out, then headed for the elevator, noticing another figure. Aya smiled slightly at him, then they both entered the elevator. Maybe pretending nothing was the best solution   after all.</p><p>"If you are a photographer, why do you attend a specialization school on painting?" Aya asked him as they headed for university.</p><p>"To broaden my artistic vision"</p><p>Oikawa seemed bewildered, cold.</p><p>"I don't know much, but that must have cost a lot," she said, changing the subject, pointing to the Canon EOS 750D hanging on the boy's neck.</p><p>Tooru squeezed it, and an idea came to him.</p><p>"My father gave it to me"</p><p>The other night, he found out that Aya was the girl he lost his head to as a child. If she remembered him, then she also had to know that Oikawa had no parents.</p><p>"Was your father a photographer too?"</p><p>She didn't remember. Oikawa, a little disappointed, remained silent until they arrived in the building. Once the lessons started, Miki didn't stop talking about Hajime.</p><p>"I don't imagine what you’d do without him"</p><p>"Don’t joke!" Miki exclaimed, while Aya laughed heartily.</p><p>"Oh, our handsome photographer missed his nap I see," she then commented, as Oikawa passed by the girls, yawning.</p><p>"I haven’t slept well"</p><p>“How about joining us for a coffee? Hajime will come too,” Miki proposed, but he refused.</p><p>"I'm on duty at the bar today, Miki-chan"</p><p>When he left, Miki turned to Aya who shrugged.</p><p>“You know, I found out that Oikawa's father was a photographer just like him. It's really an incredible thing, don't you think? " Aya said after a while, while Miki looked at her perplexed.</p><p>“Aya…Tooru doesn't have a father. And not even a mother"</p><p>Aya's eyes widened in shock. She tried to say something, but the words didn't go out of her mouth. So why had Oikawa told her that Canon belonged to his father?</p><p>"Nothing is known about his parents," added Miki, explaining the situation.</p><p>She continued to listen to her, and to think back on Tooru. She would never have said that a lively boy like him carried all that weight.</p><p>She said goodbye to her friend, apologizing for the commitments she had, and began to walk, taking several roads. That day she had decided to visit Kaito, and close that painful past once and for all. She didn't even know how she got there. Somehow, sooner or later, it had to be like this.</p><p>She recognized the yellow-white house of the Nakayama, and rang the bell hesitantly. The gate opened and was greeted by the boy's mother, who immediately embraced her.</p><p>"Aya darling! Long time no see” exclaimed the woman with tears in her eyes, thanking her for coming.</p><p>"How are you?"</p><p>"Usual…"</p><p>They entered the house: there was no need for the woman to show her the way, she knew every corner of that house. She went up to the first floor, and knocked on the boy's bedroom door. A soft voice was heard inviting her to come in, but it was enough to make Aya's heart jump.</p><p>She entered the room while Kaito sat in a wheelchair reading a book. He was a raven-haired boy with light-coloured eyes. When he looked up and saw her, he was surprised.</p><p>"Aya," he said, placing the book on his desk.</p><p>A shiver ran through her whole body.</p><p>"You know me? Do you really remember?" she asked, her voice breaking.</p><p>"Actually, my mom kept telling me you'd come to see me, so I just guessed," he admitted.</p><p>A peculiarity of Kaito was his frankness. He couldn't lie, which sometimes hurt Aya. He gestured for her to sit on his bed.</p><p>"The last time I saw you, it was four years ago," he said, looking straight into her eyes, while she avoided his gaze.</p><p>"Yup…"</p><p>“Forgive me if I can't remember. I’ll do everything possible to recover my memory"</p><p>Aya looked up, then lost herself in Kaito's eyes. That boy…so dear, so calm. This was what struck her about him. But what was ahead wasn’t Kaito himself. The Kaito she knew would never have forgotten her, would never have left her behind, would have shook her hand and carried it with her forever.</p><p>“I know we went to the same high school and were friends. I assume you go to university"</p><p>“A graduate school. I'm a painter" she said, while he smiled.</p><p>
  <em>Don't smile…not like that, not now…</em>
</p><p>"I imagined"</p><p>Kaito continued to smile, beaming, he seemed happy.</p><p>"Forgive me, I allowed myself to get an idea of you based on what they tell me"</p><p>Aya blushed slightly, looking away. She could no longer hold up. Tears begged to go down, but she managed to control herself.</p><p>“I'm glad you came to see me, Aya. I hope to see you again," said the boy, trying to make her feel comfortable.</p><p>"I will come again," she replied, standing up as he held out his hand.</p><p>"See you soon then"</p><p>Aya shook his hand, then left. Kaito stared at her as she went down the stairs, then fixed his gaze on his hand. A vague memory flowed through his mind: he had already clasped those hands before.</p><p><br/>Aya ran, she didn't know where she was going. She let the tears run down her face until she stopped, out of breath. She put her hands on her knees, catching her breath.</p><p>"For God’s sake, the stars really have to stop it"</p><p>Aya recognized the voice, and the fact that it spoke of stars made her have no doubts. When she straightened up, she noticed that she stopped right in front of the cafe where the boy worked.</p><p>"But do you always cry?" Oikawa asked, noticing her red eyes and the tears still flowing on her face.</p><p>Aya wiped her tears before answering the boy. Oikawa had changed, he had probably just finished his shift.</p><p>"I don't do it on purpose…I always meet you in the worst moments," she said, trying to speak normally.</p><p>"Yes, I have a certain talent for this"</p><p>He managed to snatch a smile from her: that was his goal. They decided to go home together and, as they walked, Oikawa couldn't help feeling frustrated. After all, he was still shocked that Aya was his childhood 'friend', and he was a little disappointed because the girl didn't remember.</p><p>"I went to find a friend," she said, taking him off guard.</p><p>"Four years ago he had an accident, and he doesn't remember me"</p><p>Oikawa looked at her sympathetically and then said to her: "How can anyone forget you?"</p><p>Aya blushed at those words, while he realized what he had just said out loud.</p><p>"I mean, you're so bad that no one would forget you"</p><p>"Thanks," she said, half offended.</p><p>“If he doesn't remember you it's no problem. Life goes on"</p><p>"He was my boyfriend," said Aya, displacing him.</p><p>Oikawa stopped, staring at her in shock. Aya did the same, smiling wistfully.</p><p>"I'm sorry…" he said, trying to fix it.</p><p>“It’s nothing. I went to visit him to put an end to everything"</p><p>They went on walking. Tooru knew what it felt like to be forgotten by someone. Aya herself had forgotten about him.</p><p><br/>"Why did you tell me that your father gave you Canon? Miki told me everything"</p><p>Oikawa turned to face her, then looked up at the sky. He didn't answer, he didn't want to tell her anything. It had to be her who found out for herself.</p><p>"If you need anything, I’m here” she said, as they entered the elevator, heading for their seventh floor.</p><p>"I’m not the one who needs comfort right now, am I wrong?" said Oikawa, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>When they got out, Aya stared at him, then said to him: “Cute bow tie. It is paired with the jacket"</p><p>Tooru's eyes widened, only to notice that he had forgotten to take off the bow tie of his waiter uniform when he changed.</p><p>"You haven't said anything all this time!" he exclaimed irritably, trying to pull it off, without success.</p><p>Aya laughed, then moved closer to him, helping him to take off his bow tie. Oikawa lowered his hands, letting her do it, observing her from his height. The girl's small head and soft hair attracted him.</p><p>"Done," she said, pulling out his bow tie, but Oikawa put a hand behind her neck, pressing her head against his chest.</p><p>"O-Oikawa?" said Aya blushing sharply, as she could feel the beating of his heart.</p><p>"Don’t cry anymore. Nobody deserves your tears," he said, then lowered his hand, leaving her free.</p><p>Aya stared at him, dumbfounded, while he turned a serious gaze on her. It was a moment, but her heart beat faster. Again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The wrong side of the apartment</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aya is such a disaster. But Oikawa likes it.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"What should I do, Iwa-chan?"</p><p>"First calm down"</p><p>Oikawa kept pacing back and forth in Iwaizumi's office, which looked at him perplexed and irritated. Tooru couldn’t calm down, it was making his head spin.</p><p>"I said to calm down, dumbass!" he snapped, pulling a stress ball on him.</p><p>"Ouch! Iwa-chan, you're so mean!" exclaimed Oikawa, rubbing his arm where it hit him.</p><p>"So, is Aya the girl you had a crush on in elementary school?"</p><p>"Exactly…" Oikawa still couldn't believe it.</p><p>He kept thinking about what he had done the night before, holding her against him for no reason. It wasn’t like him. What was happening to him?</p><p>"If you want to try seriously, I advise you to tell her the truth immediately," said Iwaizumi seriously.</p><p>"Which truth?"</p><p>"You know perfectly well, piece of idiot," said Hajime, clutching the ball in his hands.</p><p>Oikawa shivered, then said to him, grinning: "You can't always threaten me with a stress ball, Iwa-chan"</p><p>Iwaizumi took up a consistent encyclopedia, probably concerning the history of art, and pointed it at his friend.</p><p>"Okay…maybe I should have kept quiet," Oikawa whispered, startled.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't you think Oikawa has been looking in our direction for a while?" observed Miki, during the theoretical pictorial lesson on landscapes.</p><p>"Even if it were, it's not what you think," replied Aya angrily.</p><p>"You always keep denying it, but I'll tell you one thing: I've never seen him behave like this with a girl"</p><p>Aya looked at her in surprise. Oikawa was certainly a handsome boy, he didn’t lack charisma or charm, and the line of his admirers increased day by day. But somehow he managed to remain selfless, he had never had a serious relationship.</p><p>She, on the other hand, couldn't think of any relationship other than the one she had with Kaito. He had been her first boyfriend, and possibly the last. Aya felt guilty every time she thought about building a future without him.</p><p>She looked at Oikawa and their eyes were chained. They continued to look at each other, lost, absorbed, in silence. Here…it was happening again.</p><p>Click. Aya turned around, noting that Miki had just taken a photo of her and Tooru.</p><p>"Miki"</p><p>"You are so cute"</p><p>"Cancel it now!"</p><p>"After making a thousand copies," replied her friend with a smile.</p><p>Aya snorted, returning to listen to the lesson. Oikawa had looked away, but she kept glancing at him. Whenever she looked Oikawa Tooru in the eye…</p><p> </p><p>It was evening now, and Oikawa was returning from his shift at the cafe. He was tired, and moreover he had hurt his finger, cutting it with a glass that he had accidentally broken. He wanted to throw himself between the sheets as soon as possible, but the sky that evening was particularly breathtaking.</p><p>Once inside his apartment, he couldn’t help going to the balcony and observing the sky. He smiled at that sight, with an almost nostalgic look. He turned his gaze to his left and noticed Aya, leaning against the railing of her balcony, with her eyes closed.</p><p>"Hey!" Oikawa exclaimed frightened and worried, reaching out to wake her up.</p><p>"Hm?"</p><p>Aya removed the headphones from her ears, and looked at him in confusion. Oikawa withdrew his hand, embarrassed. The wind moved their hair, drawing random movements.</p><p>"It's dangerous…"</p><p>"Yes…" she said, still perplexed.</p><p>They stood looking at each other for a while, until the girl's gaze settled on his left hand.</p><p>"What happened?"</p><p>"Oh," Tooru said, looking at the bloody finger. He hadn't had time to disinfect it.</p><p>"It's nothing, I just cut myself with a piece of glass"</p><p>“It must be disinfected. Stop there, and open the door for me," she said seriously.</p><p>"How do I open the door if I have to stay still?" he asked, raising an eyebrow and grinning.</p><p>"Touché"</p><p>Aya ran inside, retrieving the first aid kit. After a few seconds, someone knocked on his door. Oikawa went to open it, letting the girl come in without waiting for him to invite her inside.</p><p>"Let me see," she said, reaching out a hand.</p><p>Oikawa, puffing, held out his left hand, looking away. Her touch was enough to make him blush, and he didn't want the girl to notice him in the least.</p><p>"Why didn't you disinfect it before?" Aya asked as she poured him some alcohol.</p><p>"Because I haven't had the time," he replied, gritting his teeth from the pain it caused him.</p><p>Aya bandaged his finger with gauze, then kissed her own hand and placed it on top of the boy's.</p><p>"What are you doing?" he asked in surprise, trying to hide the redness.</p><p>"It's a good healing kiss…I thought doing it directly would have embarrassed you," she said, much more embarrassed than he, after realizing what she’d just done.</p><p>It had come naturally.</p><p>
  <em>"Tooru, stay a little still," said a little girl, trying to calm her crying friend.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It hurts so much, Aya-chan!" he exclaimed, his eyes red and swollen with tears.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The girl was holding a plaster, and was trying to hold Tooru's knee still. He continued to cry while she gently covered the wound with the plaster. Aya then approached the boy's knee, where it hurt him so much, and left him a kiss.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Aya-chan…" was all he could say from the surprise.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It’s a kiss of good healing. My mom says it helps heal quickly"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Little Tooru continued to look at her, absorbed: now he was no longer crying.</em>
</p><p>"It doesn't embarrass me…" Oikawa said, pouting, like a small child.</p><p>Aya looked at him in surprise, then smiled. He softened at the sight of her beaming smile. He took her by the hand and dragged her out onto the balcony.</p><p>"I still don't understand why you like looking at the sky so much," said Aya, leaning on the railing.</p><p>"It reminds me of home"</p><p>Aya was enchanted by the movement of his fringe due to the wind. That brown, chocolate brown hair was so beautiful. In addition, the expression that Oikawa had every time he looked at the stars was indescribable. She fell asleep at that vision, abandoning herself to the sweet night breeze.</p><p>Tooru noticed it after a while and carried her inside. He took her on his bed, covering her with a sheet.</p><p>"Why don't you still remember me…?" the boy said, unconsciously stroking her hair.</p><p>Aya was sleeping soundly, and he let her rest.</p><p> </p><p>The following morning, the doorbell rang. Aya got up quickly, and opened the door without thinking.</p><p>"Tooru, listen…Aya? What are you doing here?!"</p><p>She rubbed her eyes, then looked better at her host. In front of her, Haru was staring at her with an interrogative expression. Why had he come to see her?</p><p>"What do you mean what am I doing here? It's my home…" she said, not remembering the night before.</p><p>"This is Oikawa's apartment," said Haru, more and more perplexed.</p><p>Aya's eyes widened at those words, and then looked around. In fact, the boy was right. The furniture, the walls, everything…it was Oikawa's apartment.</p><p>"Oh no…" she said aloud to herself.</p><p>"What happened?" Haru asked, a little curious, entering, while she sat on the sofa, shocked.</p><p>"Yesterday I treated the wound on his finger, then we talked a little and…"</p><p>“And?"</p><p>"I fell asleep. I don't know what happened next…"she said desperately.</p><p>Haru burst out laughing.</p><p>"It's not funny! Oh! What if…do you believe that? Oh no…” Aya mumbled in panic.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"What if we did it?!" she exclaimed, shocked, walking back and forth across the room.</p><p>Haru laughed heartily, then reassured her: “I don't think so. Oikawa is not the type to take advantage of a sleeping girl"</p><p>Aya took a breath, but had to get confirmation directly from the boy in question. She couldn't ask him directly…it would have been too embarrassing.</p><p>“I came to deliver these to Tooru. Can you give them to him for me?" Haru then said, handing her a bag with new filters for the camera.</p><p>Aya nodded as the boy left. She noticed that Oikawa had left her a note: “When you wake up, close the door properly. I left you the keys, go to the cafe to give them back to me. O.T."</p><p>She looked at the keys for a moment: a tender alien-shaped keychain hung there. Suddenly, an idea came to her, and she ran out, opening the door abruptly.</p><p>"Haru!" Aya called the boy, who turned, startled.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Aya-chan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Love calls Oikawa. Will he answer the call?</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Can I know what all that paint is for?" Miki asked confused, watching her friend carry more than four medium cans.</p><p>"I have something in mind…go get the things I told you," said Aya, all excited.</p><p>"Okay, okay, but you'll have to explain everything to me sooner or later"</p><p>When Miki returned, she looked more perplexed than before.</p><p>"What do you need phosphorescent adhesives for?"</p><p>"You ask too many questions," said Aya, taking them and smiling.</p><p>"Will you tell me what your plan is?"</p><p>Aya turned to her friend and, winking, said to her: "I want to paint the Oikawa’ ceiling and turn it into a starry sky"</p><p>Miki, initially with her mouth open, burst out laughing.</p><p>"So you really lost your mind for him!" she exclaimed, proud to have sensed it for some time.</p><p>"No! Absolutely not! I just want to do him a favor, I know he likes stars, he's obsessed with them…and therefore, maybe…"Aya mumbled, blushing suddenly.</p><p>"Look how red you turned!"</p><p>Aya covered her cheeks, puffing.</p><p>"So do you like Tooru?"</p><p>"Maybe…a little" Aya replied softly, embarrassed.</p><p>She’d never thought she could say those words related to other guys who were not Kaito. She didn't have to think about it anymore, she was done with him now. Kaito knew they were friends, and so they would stay. Nothing more. She wanted to be happy again, and thought that with Oikawa she would succeed.</p><p>Miki jumped for joy and hugged her friend who was trying to free herself from her grasp.</p><p>“I knew this day would come! I'm so happy!" she exclaimed smiling.</p><p> </p><p>Aya had asked Haru to keep Oikawa busy so she could have time to paint the ceiling. Until the afternoon there was no problem, since the boy was on duty at the cafe. Just before the shift ended, Haru went to the place, waiting for him outside. Oikawa wasn’t late; after a couple of minutes, he left the cafe, looking at the time and puffing.</p><p>When he looked up, he noticed his friend and approached him.</p><p>"Haru…what are you doing here?"</p><p>“I just wanted to spend time with you. We haven't talked for a long time," he said, trying to be as natural as possible.</p><p>"Yes…did you bring me the filters I asked for?"</p><p>"I left them to Aya," he replied, without thinking.</p><p>"By the way…do you know where she is? I told her to come through here" Tooru said, puzzled.</p><p>"No, she told me that she had commitments and couldn’t pass" Haru was not good at lying, but tried to do his best. After all, it was for a good cause.</p><p>"Okay…if you don't mind, I'll go home. I'm very tired,” said Oikawa, greeting him.</p><p>"Wait up!"</p><p>Tooru turned to see his friend holding him by the wrist of his shirt. Haru was acting strange.</p><p>"Like you, I’m also very busy and we would risk not seeing each other for a while. Let me offer you something, I ask you as a friend"</p><p>"All right"</p><p>Aya had entered her apartment with everything needed to start her work thanks to the pair of keys that Oikawa had left her. She put on her headphones and began to paint, putting all her efforts into it. She had to admit it was fun. She imagined the face Tooru would make as soon as he entered. It excited her and, full of energy, she continued her work.</p><p>"What was Aya doing in your apartment?"</p><p>Oikawa took a sip of his soda, then looked at his friend, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>"She came to medicate me," he replied, raising his left hand, showing off his bandaged finger.</p><p>"And then she fell asleep"</p><p>“It’s not like you to let a girl sleep in your house” said Haru.</p><p>“You have to stop analyzing everything around you. You are too insightful" Oikawa continued to sip his drink, trying to change the subject.</p><p>"Did you fall in love with her?" Haru asked, suddenly.</p><p>Tooru's eyes widened, and he shook his head at the idea. It was just his imagination: since he found out that Aya was the same girl from his childhood, he had been thinking about her. If it hadn't been, he wouldn't have given her a look, just like at the beginning, when they met.</p><p>"Thanks for the evening," said Oikawa standing up, about to say goodbye to his friend who keeps silent consents.</p><p>"Take care," said Haru, greeting him.</p><p>When Tooru left, he pulled out the phone and wrote to Aya, warning her that the boy was returning. But she didn't see the message, as she was too busy gluing star-shaped phosphorescent stickers on the ceiling.</p><p>Oikawa opened the door, and entered the house. He snorted, tired, throwing his jacket on the coat rack. He entered the living room and noticed a staircase and countless cans of blue, purple and white paint.</p><p>"What the hell…?" he wondered, then heard noises coming from his bedroom and decided to go and see.</p><p>When he entered he saw Aya standing above his bed, her back to him. She was gluing something to the ceiling, but he couldn't quite tell what it was. The girl seemed to be on another world, hummed, absorbed in her thoughts.</p><p>"Finally, I finished!" she exclaimed suddenly, jumping off the bed and turning in his direction.</p><p>When she saw him, she hardly hit. She screamed, frightened, jumping with surprise. "Oikawa?!"</p><p>"What on earth are you doing?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, but amused by the girl's behavior.</p><p>She pushed him out of the room and closed the door behind her.</p><p>"You haven't seen anything, have you?"</p><p>"What was I supposed to see besides you dancing and singing?"</p><p>Aya wanted to bury herself instantly. She was so embarrassed that even her ears turned red. Oikawa looked at her from head to toe: she wore a white T-shirt and overalls, probably the same clothes she wore when she painted, so as not to soil the good ones. The girl's face and arms were decorated with drops of paint that had fallen when she painted the ceiling.</p><p>"So?" he asked, demanding explanations.</p><p>"Well…I wanted to surprise you," said Aya trying to smile, but in reality she was scared to death.</p><p>"A surprise?" the boy repeated, confused.</p><p>"It’s better if you close your eyes"</p><p>“What nonsense! Show me, come on,” said Oikawa impatiently.</p><p>"No, close them," she said seriously, convincing him.</p><p>Oikawa snorted and closed his eyes as she took his hand, leading him into the room.</p><p>"Ok, open them"</p><p>He obeyed and looked around, but noticed nothing. He stared at the girl with a questioning look, saying: “So? I don't see anything"</p><p>"Try to look better," said Aya with a smile, suddenly turning off the light.</p><p>Oikawa was about to say something to her, but he noticed a strange glow coming from the ceiling. When he looked up, a splendid sky vault filled his eyes, painted on the entire surface of the ceiling. The phosphorescent stars, which glowed in the dark, were arranged in various constellations, which he recognized immediately. The moonlight filtered through the window also illuminated the room, and he could see the girl approaching him.</p><p>"How did it come to your mind?" Tooru asked, still speechless, not taking his eyes off the ceiling.</p><p>"Since you like watching the sky so much, and in the winter days it's too cold to go outside, or when you're sick too…you can observe the stars directly from here," said the girl, trying to explain herself better.</p><p>Oikawa said nothing, and Aya panicked. What if he didn't like it? The last time she dared to paint a wall of his house he had almost devoured her alive.</p><p>"I know I didn't have to, I was wrong not to ask you for permission…I didn't do it with bad intentions! Tomorrow I'll repaint it in white, I promise!" Aya exclaimed, attracting the attention of the boy who stared at her amused.</p><p>"Aya"</p><p>"Indeed, no. Maybe it's better to do it already tonight,” she continued.</p><p>"Aya"</p><p>"I'm going to get the paint, I'll be right back!"</p><p>Oikawa grabbed her by the wrist and placed his lips on hers, kissing her. Aya's eyes widened, taken aback, as she felt the warmth of Tooru's lips on hers. He broke away almost immediately, looking at her gently. Aya didn't know what to think, and her cheeks were exploding.</p><p>"It’s the most beautiful thing someone has ever done for me, thank you" said Oikawa, moving his squeeze from her wrist to her hand.</p><p>"N-Not…it's nothing…"</p><p>Aya, still shocked, stared at him for a moment. Tooru suddenly looked down, hiding his expression behind his chocolate fringe.</p><p>"Are you okay?" she asked worriedly while he squeezed her hands.</p><p>"It's not fair," he said simply.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"The fact that you make me blush like this"</p><p>Surprised by those words, Aya released a hand from Tooru's grasp and placed it on the face that the boy tried to hide, lifting it up. Oikawa looked her in the eyes: he was really red. Those eyes so bright that reflected the stars…she unconsciously stroked his cheek.</p><p>"What are you doing to me, Aya-chan?" Tooru said, looking at her intently.</p><p>
  <em>"Aya-chan!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What is it, Tooru?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Promise me we'll always stay together"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What a stupid promise is it?"</em>
</p><p>Aya's eyes widened at that nickname, and various memories began to flow in her mind.</p><p>"T-Tooru?" he said, surprising the boy.</p><p>"Is it…really you, Tooru?"</p><p>Oikawa stared at her, surprised, realizing what she was referring to.</p><p>"Yes, Aya-chan" he said, placing a hand over the one with which she was stroking his face.</p><p>Aya stared at him, her eyes chained to his. It had always been him and she’d never noticed until then. She was moved and the tears began to fall.</p><p>"Aya-chan, I told you not to cry," he said, stroking her face, wiping away her tears.</p><p>"You…knew it, and you didn't tell me!" Aya said, banging a punch on his chest.</p><p>"I wanted you to remember it alone"</p><p>Aya noticed a small smile forming on Oikawa's face. His eyes looked at her with such love that she couldn’t get mad further.</p><p>"Look…you're all dirty," Tooru said, referring to the drops of paint that covered parts of her face and arms.</p><p>He left a small kiss on the back of her hand, in a painted spot. Then he did the same on her right cheek, removing the drop of blue paint that now colored his lips.</p><p>"Look, here too" he said, placing his lips on her nose.</p><p>Aya blushed sharply, but didn't move a muscle. She smiled at the boy's funny behavior. With his thumb, Tooru removed fresh paint from her cheek and then ran his finger over the girl's lips.</p><p>"Even here…"</p><p>Aya smiled, and Tooru did the same, before kissing her. The kiss was simple, but soon Oikawa begged to deepen it. She agreed, and their tongues intertwined. When they finished, Oikawa looked at her, satisfied. Their lips were blue from the paint, but it was the least important thing. They hugged each other as their hearts beat with the same frequency. This time Aya's heart started to beat again and it never stopped.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. I'll find you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It didn't take long for Miki and Hajime to discover that their two best friends had finally gotten together. It had been a week since Oikawa and Aya had kissed, starting their relationship. They often sat close to lessons, exchanged complicit glances and spent a lot of time together, so much so that Miki blamed Tooru for stealing her friend.</p><p>"Do you have your shift at the cafe today?" Aya asked after the lessons were over.</p><p>"No, I have the whole day off!" the boy exclaimed smiling happily, shaking her hand.</p><p>"So lucky!" Miki said, surprising the two who looked at her confused.</p><p>"Miki…are you okay?"</p><p>"Miki-chan is jealous of me," explained Oikawa, who had known the girl the longest.</p><p>In fact, Miki said nothing, and sulked.</p><p>"Don’t worry. Oikawa will never be able to replace you, Miki” Aya said, making her smile return.</p><p>Miki hugged her friend, while the boy looked at them between the offended and the confused.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Trashykawa, but you heard it" Miki then left, as she received a call from Hajime.</p><p>Oikawa and Aya, on the other hand, continued to walk, headed no one knows where. Tooru, strangely, was silent and she immediately understood why.</p><p>"Don't tell me you're offended"</p><p>"Not at all," he replied quickly, looking straight ahead.</p><p>"I have an idea" Aya began to walk faster, while the boy followed her, confused.</p><p>They arrived in a remote park, where few children were still playing. An immense expanse of green stretched before their eyes.</p><p>"Do you remember?"</p><p>Oikawa smiled, nodding.</p><p>
  <em>"Tooru, look what I found!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ah, keep it away from me, Aya-chan!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Aya handed him a large white flower, but Oikawa, somehow, was terrified of it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It doesn't eat you, it's a flower…"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Flowers attract insects! Ah, look! A bee!" exclaimed the child, jumping in fear.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It won't do anything to you" she repeated, taking his hand and placing it on the flower stem, while Oikawa closed his eyes in fear.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Bees do not attack if they’re not attacked, and then…they love flowers"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tooru slowly opened his eyes as she spoke to him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"We can't force them to stay away from the things they love the most, can we?"</em>
</p><p>"Tooru!"</p><p>Oikawa returned to reality, noticing that Aya waved at him. He walked over to her, pointing to a small plant.</p><p>"It’s still here"</p><p>The white flower had also blossomed that year, and, of course, many bees were attracted to its pollen. Oikawa leaned forward and picked the flower, being careful not to disturb the small insects. In reality, he was terrified, but he certainly couldn't hesitate in front of the girl he loved more than anything else.</p><p>Aya, in fact, looked at him in surprise, as she accepted the flower he was holding out to her.</p><p>"Since when are you not afraid?"</p><p>"Since I've been with you"</p><p>"And these clichés?" she said, laughing.</p><p>"They always work"</p><p>Oikawa smiled happily at her, while Aya approached him, leaving him a sweet kiss on the cheek. Tooru blushed, looking down to hide. Again.</p><p>"Look, I see you, it's not working," she teased him.</p><p>The boy looked up, then grinned. He knew how to provoke her.</p><p>"Actually, I'm disappointed"</p><p>"For what?"</p><p>"You kissed me on the cheek, that's pretty disappointing, don't you think?"</p><p>Aya raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms.</p><p>"If you think I'll take the initiative, forget it," he replied, embarrassed only by the idea.</p><p>"So," he said, then grabbed her by her waist.</p><p>"I'll have to fix it"</p><p>Then he grinned, placing a hand on her cheek and looking at her with passion and affection. He closed his eyes, about to kiss her, but was stopped by soft petals. Aya, in fact, had placed between them the flower he had given her, as a screen.</p><p>“Don't think that you always get what you want when you want it. You’re really a spoiled child "</p><p>Oikawa gasped as he watched the girl walk away.</p><p>They both went home and Oikawa invited her to his apartment so they could look at the sky together. He had put soft poufs on the balcony so they’d be more comfortable. In addition, he had placed candles in different places, so as to have a little light and a more romantic atmosphere.</p><p>"You worked so hard," Aya admitted, teasing him as she sat down.</p><p>"I just want the best for my Aya-chan"</p><p>She blushed as Tooru gave her a toothy smile.</p><p>"What constellation is that?"</p><p>"Cassiopeia," he replied, as if nothing had happened.</p><p>"And that?" Aya asked, pointing to another group of bright stars.</p><p>"Orion, a big nosy one"</p><p>Aya laughed at those words, catching the boy off guard.</p><p>"I still don't know whether to believe that the stars guide our destiny, but I know for sure that it’s thanks to them that we’re now together," she said, staring up at the sky.</p><p>Oikawa looked at her, engrossed, as she suddenly interrupted his thoughts.</p><p>“Look over there! There are so many!" the girl exclaimed, pointing to a luminous cluster.</p><p>"Yes, I can't tell them well"</p><p>"I bet one of them in there wants to be found, and tries to shine more than all the others," Aya said with a smile.</p><p>Tooru stared at her, surprised.</p><p>“I would find them all! I have sharp eyesight,” the girl said, laughing.</p><p>Oikawa looked at her with admiration, almost struck by her words.</p><p>"Aya-chan"</p><p>She stared at him as the boy dropped away, resting his head on her shoulder.</p><p>"If I became some star of the universe…would you find me?"</p><p>Aya smiled and, without the slightest hesitation, said: "I would find you, I'm sorry"</p><p>"Why do you have to be sorry?!" he exclaimed, raising his head.</p><p>She laughed, while he, snorting, added: “When you were little, during hide and seek, you always managed to find me. I didn't expect anything else from the girl with the sharpest sight"</p><p>"It isn’t so" Aya stared at him seriously as he listened to her.</p><p>"It isn’t for sharp eyesight, neither for hide and seek nor for the stars"</p><p>"It's because it's you, Tooru" she finished saying.</p><p>Oikawa blushed, while his eyes widened at the sudden and surprising words of the girl.</p><p>
  <em>"Found you!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Ah, that's not fair Aya-chan!"</em>
</p><p>Tooru smiled as he approached her face, stopping a few millimeters.</p><p>"I'm relieved," he said, then kissed her softly.</p><p>
  <em>Aya-chan will always find me.</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Don't ever leave me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>"Kaito, why don't you just come out and get it over with?" a boy taller than him said, ruffling his hair. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"If you don't hurry you’ll risk losing her" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaito looked in the direction his friend was pointing, and saw that a black-haired boy was talking to Aya. He saw her smile, placing a hand on his shoulder. Kaito clenched his fists, jealous. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I never thought Takahiro would declare himself to Sasaki," his friend commented. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Aya can't stand frivolous and superficial guys like him," Kaito said, then walked away. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Kaito!" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The boy turned, while Aya ran towards him. He paused, catching his breath, as a light breeze blew across the school terrace. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I've been looking for you everywhere" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"And here I am," he replied, turning his back to her, clearly annoyed by something. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Something bothering yout?"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"By chance, I saw you talking to Takahiro" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yes, he asked me for my math homework, but I…" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Homework?!" Kaito exclaimed, surprised. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Yes why?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaito smiled: he’d thought too much beyond the reality of the facts. Once again, he had let himself be carried away by jealousy. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Aya" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The girl looked at him in silence as he took her hand and squeezed it in his. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I don't want to lose you, I want to be with you forever" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It’s not possible" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Why not?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“How could we? Human beings cannot live forever" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I like you," Kaito said suddenly. Aya's eyes widened, blushing.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"If not forever, stay with me as long as possible"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Okay," she said, shaking his hand, then letting the boy hug her.</em>
</p><p>"Now you have to explain everything to me," Aya said seriously.</p><p>"And this time don't make excuses," Oikawa said, crossing his arms.</p><p>"Why did you fight?" they said together, looking at Hajime and Miki with a reproachful look.</p><p>Iwaizumi and Miki snorted, looking in opposite directions.</p><p>"This young lady thinks I cheated on her because she saw me talking to a girl, who happened to be my secretary!" Hajime said quite irritated.</p><p>“Yeah, like I'm stupid enough to really fall for it. Your real secretary has blonde hair, not red!" Miki exclaimed.</p><p>"She dyed them!" Iwaizumi snapped.</p><p>“Iwa-chan is right. Misako dyed her hair red yesterday,” Oikawa said, stepping in, supporting his friend.</p><p>Miki glared at him, but as soon as she started to say something, she was interrupted.</p><p>“Do you guys think you are smart enough to fool us? I don't think Miki didn't recognize her!" Aya exclaimed, more against Oikawa than Iwaizumi.</p><p>"Miki-chan can't even distinguish Iwa-chan and Haru when they were younger," Oikawa replied.</p><p>"Oh, really?" Hajime said, looking at his girlfriend, disappointed and frustrated.</p><p>"It's not my fault if you were two drops of water as children!"</p><p>"Don't rage, you're making the situation worse!" Aya exclaimed looking at Tooru reproachfully.</p><p>"I'm just defending Iwa-chan"</p><p>"Miki has every reason to doubt, after all she didn't see the girl in the face," Aya said, while Miki nodded.</p><p>"Since when talking to a girl is considered a betrayal?!" Tooru exclaimed, starting to warm up.</p><p>"Right, you girls always overthink" Iwaizumi added.</p><p>"I saw how you smiled at her, don't lie!" Miki exclaimed furiously.</p><p>"You know very well that Misako is only interested in Oikawa!" Hajime snapped, but then he noticed his friend's face and immediately fell silent.</p><p>Tooru shook his head and covered his face with one hand as he waited for his girlfriend's reaction. He waited for a while, but silence reigned in the room. He looked at Aya, and saw only a surprised and frustrated look.</p><p>"So…you’re the real traitor in here"</p><p>"Aya, Oikawa has always refused her and now Misako has given up on him too," Hajime tried to explain.</p><p>"Sorry, I have to go," Aya said suddenly after receiving a message on the phone.</p><p>"What happened? I'll take you,” Oikawa said, taking his jacket.</p><p>"No. It's none of your business” Aya replied, then left.</p><p>Tooru tightened his jacket between his fingers, while Miki and Hajime looked at each other confused.</p><p>
  <em>Weren't we the ones who had quarreled?</em>
</p><p>Aya came to the house, and went up the stairs. Kaito turned to her, turning the wheels of the chair.</p><p>"Aya"</p><p>"What do you have to tell me that's so important?" she said, getting right to the point.</p><p>She noticed that Kaito looked sad, almost melancholy. He looked lonely…</p><p>"They gave me a month, Aya"</p><p>The girl's eyes widened, shocked by his words.</p><p>“I have a late stage brain tumor. There is nothing more to be done" he explained, while his eyes became more and more lucid.</p><p>"Why didn’t you tell me?"</p><p>“I didn't want to make you suffer. And I don't even want you to suffer now. I'm just sorry I don't have time to retrieve the memories I had with you,” he said, as his voice broke.</p><p>Aya walked over to him and shook his hand as tears streamed down her face.</p><p>"I promise you will get your memories back," she said.</p><p>Kaito looked at her for a moment, then hugged her tightly.</p><p>Aya came home in the evening and, when she entered her apartment, she threw her bag aside and noticed the countless messages she had on her cell phone: a dozen from Miki, one from Iwaizumi, and…millions from Oikawa. She decided not to read them, she wanted to go out and get some air on the balcony, but when she did, she jumped with fright.</p><p>Oikawa was sitting on the ground, his head resting on his knees and his fringe falling over his face. As soon as he heard the girl's footsteps, he raised his head and looked into her eyes.</p><p>"It took you so long"</p><p>Aya, still shocked and open-mouthed, couldn’t say anything. The boy stood up, then leaned against the railing.</p><p>"Are you still angry?"</p><p>"How did you…there is a wall dividing our balconies, how…?!"</p><p>"I walked over the railing," he replied, as if he had walked on a sidewalk.</p><p>He walked up to her, up to stand in front of her, to look her straight in the eye.</p><p>"Don't look at me like that, I'm not angry"</p><p>"Then why did you leave like that?" Oikawa asked, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>"I had a commitment," she replied, not wanting to rethink Kaito.</p><p>"Would be?"</p><p>"Do I have to tell you everything? You’re not my mother!" she exclaimed, looking down.</p><p>Tooru took her hand and squeezed it tightly as he looked at her with serious eyes.</p><p>"Aya-chan, you have to know that I could never be with anyone else. The stars have chosen you and I’ll always stay with you, for life"</p><p>She blushed at the words as her heart began to beat faster than before.</p><p>"I'll have to put up with you all that time…" Aya said, teasing him.</p><p>"Aya-chan!" Oikawa exclaimed, half offended.</p><p>The girl smiled, melting his heart and making him blush.</p><p>"Aya-chan, I like you so much," said Tooru, resting his head on her shoulder, hiding the expression he had at that moment.</p><p>Aya smiled, wrapping him in a sweet hug.</p><p>"Aya-chan, I like you very much"</p><p>Aya said nothing on purpose, to see the boy's reaction.</p><p>"Aya-chan…” he said, lifting his head from her shoulder, but she placed both hands on his cheeks, bringing him closer to her.</p><p>They looked directly into each other's eyes: Oikawa's showed surprise and sought an answer, while Aya's were amused.</p><p>"You're always so loud, Tooru" she said in a whisper, then kissed him on the lips.</p><p>Oikawa blushed abruptly, as he had never done before.</p><p>"I like you too," she finally said, while the boy gasped.</p><p>He covered his face with both hands, but it was all in vain: Aya had seen his embarrassed expression and she would have teased him for life. The girl laughed heartily at his funny behavior. Oikawa climbed onto the railing and passed onto the balcony of his apartment. He held out his hand, inviting her to do the same.</p><p>“I don't even think about it! It's dangerous!" Aya exclaimed, frightened.</p><p>"As long as I'm there, you won't fall anywhere"</p><p>Aya looked at him and Oikawa's eyes gave her confidence. She climbed onto the railing and, little by little, managed to get over the part of his balcony. Oikawa grabbed her hand, placing the other on her back, taking her in his arms and then putting her back on the ground. They looked at each other for endless minutes as he smiled at her.</p><p>"See?" he said, leading her to his room.</p><p>Oikawa turned off the lights and lay down on the bed, with his arms crossed behind his head.</p><p>"Come on" he said after a while, noticing that the girl didn't move a muscle.</p><p>Aya, a little hesitant, lay down on the edge of the bed, at a distance from the boy. Oikawa smiled seeing her so embarrassed and reached out his arm in her direction.</p><p>"It seems uncomfortable there"</p><p>"I'm fine, thank you"</p><p>“You got the Cassiopeia constellation wrong, the star on the right really wasn't there,” Oikawa said, pointing to the glow-in-the-dark stickers glowing on the ceiling.</p><p>"Really?!" Aya exclaimed as she looked up at the ceiling.</p><p>Tooru took advantage of her inattention, grabbing her by the shoulders, and pulled her to him. She, surprised, widened her eyes at the proximity to his body.</p><p>"Are you more comfortable now?"</p><p>Aya rested her head on Oikawa's chest, and they both stared at the sky painted on the ceiling.</p><p>"Aya-chan"</p><p>She remained silent, letting him know she was listening to him.</p><p>"Don’t ever leave me"</p><p>Aya moved her head so she could look him in the eye.</p><p>"Why are you so worried about it?"</p><p>"If Aya-chan leaves me, I wouldn’t exist anymore"</p><p>She widened her eyes, shocked by his words, then gave him a pinch.</p><p>"Stop being so dramatic and pessimistic!" she exclaimed.</p><p>He laughed, taking her hand and squeezing it tight.</p><p>
  <em>How could I ever leave you, Tooru?</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Even the stars fall in love</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Angst is coming!!!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tooru and Aya had fallen asleep together. The sun's rays illuminated the room, but they weren’t the cause of Aya's awakening. The girl felt excruciating pains in her left side. Tooru was still asleep, blissful, as he hugged the girl from behind. The boy's arm, wrapped around Aya's aching side, caused her unbearable pain, unknowingly. The girl tried to get up without disturbing him, in vain. Oikawa slowly opened his eyes and smiled at the sight of Aya still in his arms.</p><p>"Good morning, Aya-chan," he said affectionately, as his eyes shone with a bright light.</p><p>"Good morning to you too" she replied smiling, sitting up.</p><p>She tried to bear the pain so as not to show it to Oikawa, who would have worried excessively.</p><p>"What’s wrong?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.</p><p>
  <em>Why do you have to know me so well?</em>
</p><p>"I'm just a little tired"</p><p>Oikawa sat up and reached out, shaking her hand.</p><p>“Rest then. I’ll prepare breakfast"</p><p>"Oikawa, I'd rather go back to my apartment," Aya said, getting out of bed, without showing fatigue.</p><p>He looked at her, perplexed, and then said: "Okay..."</p><p>Aya greeted him as she entered her apartment. As she closed the door behind her, a lightning pain hit her near the lungs, causing her to fall on the g round.</p><p>"Damn…"</p><p>She went to the bathroom and began to cough, spitting out small drops of blood. Terrified, she picked up the phone and dialed a number. After endless rings, someone answered.</p><p>"Hello, doctor?"</p><p>After a while, Aya received a message and remembered the commitment she had made with Kaito. Shee got up painfully from the bed, then got dressed and left.</p><p>Meanwhile, Oikawa had finished preparing breakfast. He planned to take it directly to Aya, and they would eat together. He took the pancakes, some berries and orange juice, knocked on her door, smiling happily and satisfied to himself. He knocked again, but no one answered.</p><p>
  <em>Did she fall asleep?</em>
</p><p>Oikawa went back to his apartment and walked on the railing that joined their balconies, landing in hers, like the night before. The door to the balcony was half open, she must have forgotten to close it. Tooru walked slowly into the house, avoiding making any noise. He checked everywhere, but there was no trace of the girl.</p><p>
  <em>She's gone out?</em>
</p><p>Oikawa no longer knew what to think. Why had Aya lied to him? Had he gone too far the night before? Had he scared her? He noticed the girl's paintings and canvases piled in a corner. He approached and noticed a particular canvas, resting on the easel. It was completely white, but some sketches and preparatory drawings hung on it with tape. His eyes widened when he saw them. They were several portraits of a boy he didn't know. He had dark hair and was about his age. Oikawa, shocked, ran away, returning to his apartment. He grabbed his camera, his jacket and hurried out.</p><p>"We're there," Aya said, stopping.</p><p>Kaito observed the huge soccer field that appeared in front of him, with some children running and having fun, practicing that sport.</p><p>"Do you remember anything?"</p><p>“I loved playing football. I was one of the best in our school club,” the boy replied nostalgically.</p><p>"You were there too? At my matches?" he added, looking up at her.</p><p>"Yup. I didn't miss one” Aya replied melancholy.</p><p>"I remember a girl who cheered for me and hugged me once the match was over. Was it you?"</p><p>Aya smiled, partly happy that he had remembered.</p><p>"Yes, you're starting to remember," she said.</p><p>"Aya" Kaito looked at her seriously.</p><p>"Tomorrow take me to an art exhibition. I want to see the world you like so much"</p><p>"Okay" she said, pushing her wheelchair and walking down the street as they watched a carefree child score a goal.</p><p>
  <em>"What's wrong with my little Aya, doctor?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“She has a rare lung disease. Her lungs accumulate blood, so she must follow specific therapy to aspirate it every month"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The only interesting detail? It was an incurable disease. Aya, however, once started high school didn’t present problems: it was as if the disease had eased, fading. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Is there no more danger?" the mother exclaimed hopefully. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Apparently not, but it could come back"</em>
</p><p>And so, she was in that doctor's office. Once again.</p><p>"Your condition is not good at all, Aya," he told her, looking at her.</p><p>“Please find the same therapy as that time. I could heal again"</p><p>"I don't think it’ll be as effective as..."</p><p>"Please," Aya repeated, interrupting him.</p><p>"Okay. It's the only alternative you have" the doctor said, agreeing.</p><p>Aya went back to her apartment and, as soon as she crossed the threshold, lay down gently on the bed. They had drawn the blood from her lungs, and now the pain she felt was indescribable. She picked up the phone and read the various messages that Miki had sent her: "Call me as soon as you can", "Oikawa was looking for you", "What happened, Aya?".</p><p>Aya decided to call her, she didn't have the strength to text back.</p><p>"Aya, where are you?" Miki exclaimed, answering just after a ring.</p><p>"At home"</p><p>"Is something wrong? You know you can tell me" said her friend, worried.</p><p>"No, I'm just a little tired, that's all" Aya replied, sighing.</p><p>"Did something happen between you and Oikawa?"</p><p>Aya, confused, said to her: "No ... why?"</p><p>“This morning he ran to Hajime. He told him he would leave for that project he never wanted to finish"</p><p>"I don't know anything about it"</p><p>“Anyway, he looked frustrated. Call him as soon as you can” Miki advised her.</p><p>“Okay, now I'll leave you. I would like to rest"</p><p>"Good night"</p><p>Aya stared at the phone: no message from Oikawa. Usually, her cell phone was full of notifications because of him.</p><p>
  <em>Is he offended because I left him alone this morning?</em>
</p><p>It would never occur to her to think that the real cause lay in her own home. In a corner, among her canvases. She could never have thought that Tooru had seen Kaito's sketches in her room.</p><p>Two days later, Kaito and Aya visited the photography exhibition directed by Iwaizumi. Many world-famous photographers had participated in it.</p><p>"So, do you also take care of photography?" Kaito asked curiously, while admiring the photos on display.</p><p>"No, but I like to admire it"</p><p>"Aya," Kaito said suddenly.</p><p>She looked up in the direction he was pointing.</p><p>"That one is you"</p><p>Aya's eyes widened. On display in the exhibition, there was a photograph of her on her balcony, admiring the stars. Her hair was blown by the gentle breeze and her face was illuminated by the silvery light of the moon.</p><p>"Even the stars fall in love" Kaito said, reading the title.</p><p>Aya blushed, and couldn't help but be mesmerized by that photograph. She knew very well who had taken it, and at what moment.</p><p>"...Oikawa Tooru. Do you know him?" Kaito said, reading the photographer's name.</p><p>"Yes, I'm her boyfriend" someone said, approaching them.</p><p>Aya turned to find Oikawa, flanked by Iwaizumi. Tooru wore glasses, a white shirt and dark blue jacket and pants. He was really elegant and handsome, after all he was one of the artists participating in the show.</p><p>"Really? Aya, you didn't tell me anything…” Kaito said, looking from head to toe at Oikawa.</p><p>"Welcome. Do you like the exhibition, Aya?" Iwaizumi asked stepping in, smiling. "Yes a lot. Iwaizumi, Oikawa…this is Nakayama Kaito, a friend of mine from high school. Kaito, they are…” Aya said, introducing them.</p><p>“Iwaizumi Hajime, curator of the exhibition. Nice to meet you"</p><p>Oikawa said nothing, letting his friend introduce him.</p><p>"He is Oikawa Tooru, the best known photographer of this exhibition"</p><p>Kaito smiled, but his gaze was fixed on Oikawa.</p><p>"Do you have a moment?" Tooru suddenly said to Aya, terribly serious, with his hands in his pockets.</p><p>The girl glanced at Kaito, who made her understand that he would be waiting for her there without any problems. Aya, at that point, went away with the boy, leaving him alone with Hajime.</p><p>Once he reached a corner, away from prying eyes, Oikawa looked his girlfriend in the eye. He didn't need to speak: his eyes did the work for him.</p><p>"It's not what you think," she said, raising an eyebrow.</p><p>"It's never what I think, is it?" Oikawa replied, irritated.</p><p>"Didn't you go on a project?"</p><p>“It was a job for a couple of days. And when I come back I find that my girlfriend is dating someone else” he said, holding back his anger.</p><p>Aya looked at him, offended, saying: “How dare you? You don't know anything"</p><p>"So why do you keep sketches of him in your room?"</p><p>"Did you peek through my things…?!" Aya exclaimed, shocked.</p><p>"Unlike you, that day I was worried about you and I had even prepared…forget it," said Oikawa, looking away, clenching his fists.</p><p>"Oikawa"</p><p>He didn't look up, but listened to her.</p><p>“He has a brain tumor and he's my friend. I'm just trying to help him, but you're too blinded by jealousy to notice” Aya said, then returned to Kaito, leaving him alone.</p><p>Oikawa clenched his fists as he felt a slight pain in his right knee.</p><p>Yes…a friend.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Are you a star?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Maybe some fluff...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The more the days passed, the more Oikawa missed Aya next to him. The two didn't talk much. The boy had regretted having misunderstood everything and somehow wanted to make up for it. In the morning, they met in front of the elevator, as always. She wore a blue shirt and jeans, while her hair was tied up in a ponytail. She was really beautiful.</p><p>"You look pale," said Tooru, as they entered the elevator.</p><p>"I barely slept"</p><p>Oikawa's pride didn't allow him to apologize, not yet.</p><p>"Aya-chan…"</p><p>"What is it, Tooru?" she said, snorting.</p><p>"Why do you behave like this? You don't talk to me or look at me anymore"</p><p>"If I looked at you, I would risk forgiving you…" she said, lighting a light of hope in the boy.</p><p>Every time she looked Tooru in the eye, she lost track of space and time. It was as if he were traveling to another world, all different.</p><p>Oikawa took her face in his hands and forced her to look him in the eye.</p><p>"Do you forgive me now?"</p><p>Aya, embarrassed, looked to her right.</p><p>"Yes…" she muttered, but the boy heard her anyway.</p><p>Tooru smiled and hugged her tightly. Aya gasped from the pain her caused in her hips, near her ribs, and he drew back immediately.</p><p>“Aya-chan, are you okay? Did I hurt you?" he asked worriedly.</p><p>"No…you just squeezed me a little too hard," she said, smiling as if nothing had happened.</p><p>She wasn't ready to tell him yet. Not yet.</p><p>That afternoon, Aya and Kaito would go near the lake. A magnificent panorama stretched before them, leaving them breathless.</p><p>"How long have you and Oikawa…?" Kaito asked suddenly.</p><p>He was terribly curious, and he didn't even know why he felt that way.</p><p>“For some time now. Maybe, always” Aya replied, thinking about when they were children.</p><p>She’d always felt a special feeling for Tooru, but, of course, when you’re a child you don't have a clear idea of love.</p><p>"I'm happy," Kaito said, smiling, catching her off guard.</p><p>"You’ve suffered so much because of me, but Oikawa seems to make you happy"</p><p>"Yes," Aya said, smiling back at him as they both stared out at the lake.</p><p><em>Splash</em>. A sudden noise caught their attention. A ball had fallen into the lake, and some children were trying to catch it. Kaito's eyes widened, shocked. Suddenly, he remembered everything.</p><p>
  <em>"Why did you bring me here?" Aya asked, laughing.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It’s a romantic place, don't you think?" Kaito said, shaking her hand.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>They were interrupted by a sudden noise: a ball had fallen into the lake. Kaito helped the children get it back, getting a little wet. Aya smiled at the sight of him, amused.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"What do you have so much to laugh about?" Kaito said, approaching her, observing her closely.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"It's a secret"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Kaito raised an eyebrow, then smiled.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Then I'll never tell you mine," he said, holding out his hand to her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Aya stared at him for a moment, then shook his hand. Kaito pulled her to him, hugging her.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I love you, Aya,” he told her, leaving her a kiss on the cheek.</em>
</p><p>Kaito was shocked by the whole stream of memories that filled his mind at that moment. All the moments spent with Aya, all the emotions felt, passed in front of him. Aya wasn’t his friend as everyone had told him. Aya was…</p><p>"My girlfriend…" Kaito whispered, absorbed.</p><p>"Hmm?" she said, noticing the boy's gaze.</p><p>Kaito turned to her, staring at her with the most confused expression he was able to carry.</p><p>"Aya…"</p><p>The girl nodded to him, a sign that she was listening.</p><p>"You…" Kaito said, but was interrupted by the ringing of a phone.</p><p>"Sorry, I have to answer," Aya said, walking away for a moment.</p><p>After a few minutes she returned, asking him to continue his speech. Kaito shook his head, stating that it wasn't all that important. In fact, it wasn't. He couldn't expect to recover his relationship with Aya one month after his death. If he’d recovered it, it would have made her suffer twice as much. What sense would it have had to have her back, and then lose her again?</p><p>Aya had an appointment with the doctor to decide the dates of the therapy. Given the severe and sudden conditions of her illness, aspirations of blood from her lungs had to take place at least once a week, if not more.</p><p>"We have to start tomorrow," the doctor announced seriously.</p><p>Aya came out of the hospital, coughing slightly, looking up at those stars that her Tooru loved so much.</p><p>"Aya?"</p><p>The girl turned, terrified. When she saw Iwaizumi she let out a sigh of relief.</p><p>"Are you ok?" the boy asked, having seen her leave the hospital.</p><p>"Not so much, Iwaizumi" she replied truthfully.</p><p>She was tired of lying to everyone and she couldn't lie in the face of facts.</p><p>"What happens?" Hajime asked, worried, approaching her.</p><p>Aya explained everything to him, in general terms, while Iwaizumi stared at her, troubled.</p><p>"Please don't say anything to Tooru"</p><p>"Aya…he must know"</p><p>"I'll tell him. But not now, please"</p><p>Iwaizumi nodded sadly as she greeted him.</p><p>When she returned home, Aya found a bouquet of red roses leaning against her door. She smiled as she read the note attached to it. She entered her apartment and ran out onto the balcony. She looked to her right, mirroring herself in the eyes of the sweetest boy in the world. Oikawa was waiting for her, near the wall that divided their balconies. Aya walked over, smiling at him.</p><p>"You're really so…" she said, but couldn't find the right words.</p><p>"Beautiful? Perfect? Unique?" Oikawa said, grinning.</p><p>Aya shook her head at his self-centeredness, then smiled.</p><p>"Come"</p><p>Oikawa started to climb over the railing, but she stopped him.</p><p>"No. Knock on the door like any normal person"</p><p>"But I'm not like everyone else," Oikawa said with a wink, before running to the door.</p><p>"I know it very well…"</p><p>When Aya opened the door, a toothy smile was imprinted on Oikawa's face. He entered her apartment hopping, and then waited for her in the living room.</p><p>"You're in a good mood today," she commented, smiling.</p><p>"Spending time with Aya-chan is the thing I love the most"</p><p>Aya blushed, but noticed that he was looking at her canvases. She walked over to her paintings and tried to carry the easel to the center of the room. The inspiration had struck her. Oikawa noticed that it was the same painting for which she had prepared Kaito's sketches. He looked down, covering his expression with his chocolate brown bangs. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his, which dragged him in front of the canvas.</p><p>"It's true, I was thinking of painting Kaito for this picture" Aya began, while Oikawa stared at her.</p><p>"But that was four years ago"</p><p>Aya removed the sketches she’d stuck on the canvas: under those numerous sheets, Oikawa recognized his face.</p><p>"Aya-chan…" he said, incredulous, admiring the sketch she had drawn in charcoal on the canvas.</p><p>“I've been trying to portray the true beauty of this world for years, but I've never been able to. I never found the right subject that could inspire me, until…” she said, then looked him in the eye.</p><p>"Until I found you, Tooru"</p><p>Oikawa blushed violently, looking away.</p><p>"Tell the truth…you drew it yesterday to hide reality"</p><p>Aya pinched his cheek, irritated.</p><p>“I was kidding, Aya-chan! Just kidding!" Tooru exclaimed laughing, praying that the girl would stop pinching him.</p><p>Aya pointed to the sofa, saying: "Pose for me"</p><p>Oikawa, shocked and confused, stammered something.</p><p>"How can I finish the painting, if not?"</p><p>Tooru obeyed her, following all her instructions. Aya painted white dots alternating with some blue on his face.</p><p>"You have to…well…" she said, pointing to the boy's shirt.</p><p>"What?" he asked with a grin, pretending not to understand.</p><p>"Don't pretend you don't understand!" Aya exclaimed embarrassed.</p><p>"Aya-chan, what are you talking about?"</p><p>Aya snorted, approaching the boy and, initially hesitant, began to unbutton his shirt. Oikawa blushed and so did she. Tooru took her hands, forcing her to look him in the eye. The boy left her a kiss on the cheek, smiling.</p><p>“I'll do it myself, Aya-chan,” he said, getting a pinch for faking all that time.</p><p>The truth was that Oikawa would have died of embarrassment if Aya continued to unbutton his shirt. She began to paint, while Oikawa tried to look at the ceiling, as Aya had ordered him. He couldn’t, however, not look at the girl at times. She was so beautiful when she was focused. She must have liked painting so much.</p><p>She seemed not to observe him for several minutes, so Oikawa took advantage of it. He got up slowly, unnoticed, took his Canon EOS 750D, which Aya hadn't noticed, and walked over to her. Aya was too focused to see him and Tooru aimed his target. Before taking the picture, he smiled, blushing at the sight of such beauty.</p><p>"Tooru?" Aya exclaimed, noting that he was no longer on the sofa where he was supposed to be.</p><p>"Aya-chan," the boy said, hugging her from behind, making her jump for a moment.</p><p>"T-Tooru…why did you get up!?"</p><p>Aya felt the boy's bare chest pressing against her, and she blushed sharply.</p><p>“I couldn't resist…” he said, putting his Canon EOS 750D down.</p><p>"Even the stars fall in love"</p><p>Oikawa smiled to hear that title.</p><p>“It was really beautiful,” Aya said, turning to him, while Oikawa still kept his arms around her body.</p><p>"It’s you who made it beautiful" said Tooru, looking at her with passion.</p><p>Aya erased with her fingers the small dots of colored paint she had painted on his face. Oikawa's eyes closed at her touch, letting her do it.</p><p>"Aya-chan…"</p><p>"Yes…?"</p><p>They both looked at each other absorbed, getting lost in their eyes. Oikawa came closer and closer as she placed her hands on his bare chest. He kissed her as passion took over. Tooru took her hand and entered her room. It was pretty, just as he had imagined it.</p><p>“Aya-chan,” he told her, as if to seek confirmation.</p><p>Aya took his face in her hands and gave him a sweet kiss on the nose, smiling at him. Oikawa, happy, smiled back, starting to kiss her, leaving marks on her neck. He spread her out on the bed, admiring her.</p><p>"You really are a star, Aya-chan," Tooru said blushing, as she smiled.</p><p>"Tooru…" she tried to say, panting.</p><p>The moonlight shone more than any other night. The stars were brighter than usual.</p><p>"Tooru!" Aya exclaimed as she clung to the boy's back.</p><p>Oikawa stretched out beside her, surrounding her in a sweet embrace. Aya lulled into his perfume, ignoring the stabbing pain she felt near her lungs. At that moment, it didn't matter. At that moment, only Tooru mattered.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Don't play with me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Angst beginsssss!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aya opened her eyes, noticing that Oikawa's arms still wrapped around her. She smiled, lulling herself in the warmth that his body gave her and slowly turned. Oikawa had already been awake for some time and was staring at her with a pleased expression.</p><p>“Good morning, Aya-chan” he whispered softly.</p><p>Aya smiled, mumbling a little good morning, and then took refuge in the boy's chest, who hugged her to him.</p><p>“Now you’re truly mine, Aya-chan, and I’m yours. Nobody can ever change that"</p><p>Aya stroked his cheek, looking him in the eye. Oikawa shone with a light never seen before, bursting with happiness from all pores. Suddenly, she felt a strange taste in her mouth: it looks like iron. Aya knew perfectly well what it was, and prayed that nothing would happen. Not in front of Tooru. The boy approached her, leaving her a kiss on the forehead, and the strange taste, fortunately, vanished.</p><p>“Aya, I told you to come twice a week. You know very well that…” the doctor said sternly.</p><p>"I know. I didn't realize"</p><p>Aya missed a weekly appointment due to another engagement.</p><p>A week ago…</p><p>"Aya-chan! Haru-chan's sister is graduating this week and having a big reception. Obviously, they want me to be there, and they begged me to bring you too” Oikawa said excitedly.</p><p>"Tooru, I don't think I’ll come…"</p><p>“Please, they explicitly told me that if I don't come with you they will kick me out,” Oikawa said, sulking.</p><p>Aya snorted, rolling her eyes. When he behaved like this, there was no human being who could say no to him.</p><p>"Alright"</p><p>Oikawa smiled happily. It wouldn't have been a big deal to skip a doctor's appointment. After all, she would get it back later.</p><p>“Time is running out, Aya. We’re talking about your health” the doctor continued.</p><p>"I'll get well, won't I?"</p><p>The doctor looked at her with a discouraged look, as he gave her a compassionate look.</p><p>"If you continue to skip appointments, the odds will be very low"</p><p>A few days later, it was her birthday. Aya, not even remembering it, got up in a hurry to get ready to go to university. She remembered that it was Sunday, and that she had the day off. She shook her head, throwing herself onto the bed.</p><p>Suddenly, she heard tapping. She turned her gaze to the door to the balcony, to see Oikawa knock, smiling happily.</p><p>"What are you doing here at this time?" she asked, letting him in.</p><p>"It's the least I can do, after all it's my Aya-chan's birthday!"</p><p>"What do you have in mind?" Aya asked, looking at him intently.</p><p>“Can't hide anything from you, huh? Get dressed, and let's go out. You'll find out” Tooru said with a grin as he sat down on the living room sofa.</p><p>When Aya was ready, they both went to an unknown destination.</p><p>"T-Tooru…how…?!" Aya exclaimed, once they got there.</p><p>"I asked Miki-chan some secret information about you"</p><p>Oikawa looked pleased. He had taken her to visit the largest aquarium in Tokyo. According to Miki, Aya loved fishes, but she’d never visited an aquarium as her mother was terrified of them and her father was always working to think about them.</p><p>Aya smiled, returning a child, as she dragged Oikawa around to observe the various species. Tooru, pleased, smiled as he saw the girl's eyes sparkle with joy from every pore. He shook her hand as they continued their visit.</p><p>After the aquarium, they went to eat ramen. Like Oikawa, Aya was also crazy about ramen. They returned home and entered Tooru's apartment. They began to gaze at the stars, like every night now. It had become a habit.</p><p>"Thank you. It was a really great day" Aya said suddenly, as Oikawa turned to her.</p><p>"And it's not over yet"</p><p>Aya frowned in puzzlement as he dragged her inside, showing her Sherlock Holmes DVDs.</p><p>"I heard you really like detective stories"</p><p>Aya was speechless. Oikawa had discovered so many things about him. They sat on the sofa, side by side, while they watched the movies. After half an hour, Oikawa fell asleep, his head resting on her lap.</p><p>Aya smiled: how could he look so beautiful while he slept? She began to stroke his hair, moving it aside. She noticed that on the table to her right were two blank sheets and a pen. She stretched out her arm, being careful not to make sudden movements so as not to wake the boy. She picked up the papers and began to write something, watching Tooru as he slept blissfully.</p><p>Her hand began to shake, and she felt a lump in her throat grow stronger and stronger. She folded the sheets, withdrawing them in her pocket. She decided to get up and placed Oikawa comfortably on the sofa, extending his legs. She covered him with a blanket as she continued to stroke his hair. At one point he grabbed her hand, unconsciously, as she continued to have her eyes closed. Aya smiled, lying down next to him: the sofa was big enough to hold both of them.</p><p> </p><p>Aya had missed her doctor's appointments more than once. She couldn't find a spare moment between her commitments with graduate school, her paintings and especially Oikawa.</p><p>Whenever he offered her something, she couldn't say no.</p><p>“I warned you, Aya. Your condition has worsened” the doctor said, shaking his head.</p><p>She, coughing, didn’t answer. She had spent a week in hell, the pains gave her no respite.</p><p>“I want to be frank with you. The chances of recovery were low from the start"</p><p>Aya, clenched her fists, looking at the floor.</p><p>"How much do I have left?"</p><p>
  <em>“Oikawa, stop running! Wait for me!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The two had challenged each other in a running race.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Aya-chan, I told you to call me Tooru"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I'll only call you that when you stop!"</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Oikawa stopped running and turned to her, his eyes shining with a bright light.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Then?" he said impatiently.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The little girl smiled, and then began to run.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"I tricked you!" she exclaimed as Oikawa ran after her.</em>
</p><p>Aya was walking around empty, her tears now frozen by the cold. She didn't know where she was, or how she got there. She sat down on a bench and picked up the phone.</p><p>“Hello, Aya-chan? Did something happen?"</p><p>Aya sniffed, smiling at the sound of Oikawa's voice.</p><p>"Tooru…I don't know where I am, come and get me, please"</p><p>“Give me 5 minutes and I'll be there, send me the position,” he said, in a slightly worried tone.</p><p>Aya obeyed and hang up, waiting for him. It was a cold day, and the sun was setting. The first stars began to appear in the sky, as well as the moon.</p><p>"Aya?"</p><p>She turned, finding herself facing Kaito. He approached with a slight smile: his face was pale.</p><p>"Kaito…what are you doing here?" she asked, a little surprised, but happy with that sudden meeting.</p><p>“I made my last visit. You know, in a while…"</p><p>Aya felt worse than before. She didn't know if it was because of her illness, or Kaito's.</p><p>"Me too" was all she managed to say.</p><p>Kaito's eyes widened, hoping he misunderstood.</p><p>“I guess you won't be alone wherever you go, because I'll follow you,” Aya said in a melancholy tone.</p><p>"Aya…it's a joke, right?"</p><p>Aya shook her head, smiling slightly. Kaito shook her hand, with a slightly shaky grip.</p><p>"It has been a while since…the memories have returned. You were my girlfriend” he said looking into her eyes.</p><p>Aya, surprised, said nothing.</p><p>"Aya, I’ll always love you" Kaito slowly approached her, then kissed her gently.</p><p>Oikawa ran, ran and ran. It was a long time since he ran like this. His legs couldn't respond to his actions, they just had to reach Aya. The tone of her voice had made him worry so much that his heart had lost a few beats. He felt a slight pain in his knee, but ignored it, continuing to run.</p><p>When he arrived at the place indicated by the girl, he looked for her, finding her sitting on a bench. He smiled as he took a step towards her, but stopped when he noticed another figure at her side.</p><p>Kaito. He’s holding her hand, and now he was kissing her.</p><p>Oikawa's eyes widened, the sky seemed to fall on him. He closed his eyes forcefully, hoping it was just a nightmare. When he opened them again, however, the same scene presented itself before him. The pain in his knee became more and more excruciating, he risked falling to the ground. He turned and hurried away, clenching his fists and teeth in pain it caused him.</p><p>
  <em>Aya-chan, why are you doing this to me? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Did you make fun of me all this time? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Aya-chan…</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. You destroyed me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>What is happening to you, Aya-chan? Why didn't you ever tell me anything?</p><p>He clenched his fists, angry and scared. Seeing Aya spitting blood…it must have been serious. Yet she had never made him suspect anything.</p><p>Please save her. Please…I'll die of it.</p><p>The stars seemed not to listen to him anymore.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>We're getting to the end! And this is getting worse...XD</p><p>Wait up, the next chapter will be the last. Hope you like it, and this story. See ya!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aya pushed Kaito away, who looked at her puzzled but understanding.</p><p>"You are really in love with this Oikawa, aren't you?"</p><p>Kaito smiled bitterly, jealous of their love. She nodded, looking up at the sky.</p><p>"What will you do when it happens?"</p><p>"I don't know," Aya replied, as Oikawa's face flashed back to her.</p><p>How could she leave him alone?</p><p>Oikawa never came. No messages, no calls, nothing. Aya began to worry and tried to get home as best as she could, asking passersby for information. Once she reached the building, she went up to the seventh floor and, before entering the house, knocked on Oikawa's door. Silence. No one answered.</p><p>“Tooru! I know you're there, open it,” she said, knocking once more.</p><p>Nobody opened them. Aya, at that point, entered her apartment and decided to call him. She also sent him messages, but in vain. Oikawa was gone.</p><p>"Hello?"</p><p>“Iwaizumi! Tooru…did something happen to him? He doesn't answer me, plus he's not at home” Aya said worriedly.</p><p>"I have no idea, I tried to call him an hour ago but he didn't answer me. Did something happen between you two?" Hajime asked.</p><p>"No…he had to come and pick me up in a place but…I'm afraid that…"</p><p>“Try to calm down, I'll look for him. Don't force yourself, it isn’t good for you in this state"</p><p>Aya nodded, even though Iwaizumi couldn't see her.</p><p>"…are you okay?" Hajime asked after a while.</p><p>“As usual, Iwaizumi. Thanks, let me know"</p><p>After the call ended, Aya threw herself on the bed, exhausted.</p><p>Oikawa was neither heard nor seen for a whole week. Even though they lived next to each other, Aya had never been able to meet him. Yet she had proof that the boy came back to his apartment every evening, given the slight noise it caused. It was as if he was trying not to get noticed. He didn't want to be found. He didn't want to be disturbed. Aya had tried them all, but never received an answer, not even a small sign.</p><p>"Aya!" Miki greeted her once her friend entered the classroom.</p><p>Aya looked around, then sighed, disappointed, sitting down next to her.</p><p>"Oikawa…he didn't come again, huh?"</p><p>Miki shook her head, saddened to see her friend in that situation.</p><p>"Hajime met him a couple of days ago, he said he was different than usual"</p><p>“I don't know what to do anymore…I don't know what happened” Aya said sadly.</p><p>“I know they should meet today, but I don't think Oikawa will go there. The only place you can find him for sure is…"</p><p>"The coffee!" Aya exclaimed, rising quickly.</p><p>“Aya! It's still morning, it's unlikely he's there at this time" Miki said, stopping her.</p><p>After class, Aya went to the cafe. She tried to run as best she could, as the pains in her ribs became more and more intense. Once she arrived, she caught a glimpse of Oikawa from the window that, as usual, he was serving customers. He wasn't smiling and he wasn't as radiant as he used to be. His gaze was dark, hurt, and he seemed to limp.</p><p>Aya decided to wait for him outside. Once his shift was over, Oikawa came out sighing as he adjusted his jacket.</p><p>"Tooru" someone called him.</p><p>He recognized the voice and decided not to turn around, standing still, silent, frozen, clenching his fists.</p><p>"Did something happen?" Aya tried again, approaching him who still didn't dare to look into her eyes.</p><p>Oikawa started to leave, but she stopped him, holding him by his jacket.</p><p>“What have I done to you, Tooru? Why are you avoiding me?"</p><p>He looked down, and simply said: "You destroyed me"</p><p>Aya's eyes widened, shocked by his words.</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>“I saw you…with that Kaito, he kissed you. How could you, Aya?!" he said, his voice getting more and more angry.</p><p>"I rejected him, Tooru. You know well…” she tried to explain, but was interrupted.</p><p>“No, I don't know anything anymore! I know nothing…you destroyed me. You did this to me knowing full well that I couldn't exist without you!" Oikawa shouted furiously.</p><p>Aya was paralyzed by his words. She felt the iron flavor grow stronger and stronger.</p><p>"Damn it! It doesn't matter…I'll leave you alone and you'll never see me again” Oikawa said, freeing himself from her grip, then turning away from her and walking away.</p><p>"No…no…" Aya whispered, terrified.</p><p>“No, Tooru! Wait up…! No…n…” she exclaimed, but blood came out of her mouth.</p><p>She began to cough and spit blood, uncontrollably. Oikawa didn't seem to hear her, he didn't seem to want to turn around. The last thing Aya saw was a dozen people gathered around her and Tooru's terrified face. Then everything went black.</p><p> </p><p>Was heaven like that then? An intense light illuminated the void, alternating with total darkness. A shadow was prowling, while Aya tried to catch a glimpse of it.</p><p>"Aya-chan"</p><p>She whirled around.</p><p>"Tooru?!" she exclaimed, running in the direction of the voice.</p><p>"Aya-chan"</p><p>Now it came from her shoulders.</p><p>"Tooru, where are you?"</p><p>"Don't go, Aya-chan," the voice said, getting closer and closer.</p><p>Was Oikawa his eternal torment?</p><p>“Show yourself, please” Aya said, pleading him.</p><p>"Why should I? You destroyed me, I'm just dust now"</p><p>"Tooru…"</p><p>"Aya-chan, wake up" the voice said seriously.</p><p>"I can’t…"</p><p>"Wake up, Aya…" the voice got further and further away.</p><p>Aya opened her eyes, finding herself in a white room: it was a hospital room. Strange beeps rang across the room, counting the beats of her heart. She looked down, recognizing a familiar figure. Oikawa was squeezing her hand, his head resting on the edge of the bed. Aya didn't have the strength to talk to him, so she tried to lightly shake his hand. Tooru felt it and opened his eyes, immediately stirring.</p><p>“Aya-chan! Aya-chan, you woke up…!" he exclaimed, stroking her cheek.</p><p>He must have worried a lot. The dark circles he had said a lot, plus his eyes were red.</p><p>"Tooru…" she whispered, voiceless.</p><p>"Don't force yourself, don't talk…I'm calling the doctor"</p><p>Oikawa came back with the doctor and a nurse.</p><p>"Can you wait outside?" the nurse told him, once the doctor approached Aya to examine her.</p><p>Oikawa nodded, sitting on a chair outside in the corridor. He put his hands to his head, covering his face.</p><p>
  <em>What is happening to you, Aya-chan? Why didn't you ever tell me anything?</em>
</p><p>He clenched his fists, angry and scared. Seeing Aya spitting blood…it must have been serious. Yet she had never made him suspect anything.</p><p>
  <em>Please save her. Please…I'll die of it.</em>
</p><p>The stars seemed not to listen to him anymore.</p><p>The following days, Miki, Iwaizumi, Haru and Oikawa went to visit Aya. Her condition was serious, there was nothing more to be done. She had missed too many appointments, Aya knew. Oikawa seemed the only one who didn't want to believe it.</p><p>He went to visit her every day, each time with different flowers. He tried to tell her various stories so as not to make her think the worst, he tried to cheer her up. Perhaps, he was doing it more for himself than for Aya. Talking with her about the most disparate things helped him not to think. He didn't want to think.</p><p>"Tooru…"</p><p>“Aya-chan, it was so funny! Plus, that day…"</p><p>"Tooru" Aya said firmly.</p><p>Oikawa fell silent, looking down. Thoughts began to flow, and he didn't want to.</p><p>“You have to accept it, Tooru. I don't want you to suffer once…"</p><p>"No!" he shouted more than he should, clenching his fists.</p><p>Aya and Iwaizumi looked at him, sorrowful.</p><p>"You won't go away…you can't"</p><p>A few tears began to fall down Aya's face: seeing Oikawa suffer like that hurt her.</p><p>"Oikawa…how about getting some air? Come on…" Hajime said, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, accompanying him outside.</p><p>"Iwaizumi" Aya called him once Tooru had left.</p><p>"I would like you to give this to Tooru"</p><p>She handed him a letter and Hajime understood.</p><p>"Sure…"</p><p> </p><p>Two days later, Oikawa ran to the hospital. Aya's condition had worsened, a nurse on the phone had called him at the request of the girl. They were asked to wait before entering, they still had to do some checks.</p><p>Oikawa ruffled him hair with a lightning gesture.</p><p>"Oikawa Tooru?" called a nurse.</p><p>The boy approached her.</p><p>"Aya asks for you"</p><p>Oikawa entered the room and noticed that the girl had closed her eyes, barely sighing. He walked over to her, sitting down beside her bed.</p><p>"Tooru" she said, smelling his perfume, opening her eyes again.</p><p>"Aya-chan"</p><p>Oikawa tried to smile, but seeing the girl so pale and tired only made him feel worse.</p><p>“We haven't talked about it anymore but…I just want to tell you that Kaito tried to kiss me just because he wanted to take that memory with him. I…"</p><p>“It doesn't matter anymore. Don't think about it, Aya-chan” Oikawa said.</p><p>“No, it matters. I want you to know that I only love you, Tooru, and that I’ll always find you"</p><p>Oikawa tried to resist, but began to cry. He wiped away the tears streaming down his face, squeezing Aya's hand.</p><p>“I know, Aya-chan. I love you too, Aya-chan…"</p><p>A steady, high-pitched noise echoed through the room.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. On my way back to you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Our journey ends here. Hope you enjoyed everything of it!<br/>See you on another story! :)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Continuous flashes of lightning illuminated a dark room for a few moments, followed by loud thunder rumbling in the sky. The rain was pouring down, tapping against the window of Tooru's room. Never had the weather been so perfect that day, after all, thunderstorms seemed to fit perfectly for funerals.</p><p>Tooru was curled up in a corner of his room, clutching a paper in his hands. The tears fell on his face with the same rhythm of the rain, constant, incessantly. He had lost count now of how many times he had cried that day.</p><p>Aya Sasaki had died three days ago. The love of his life was gone and he was alone. Alone and destroyed. The stars seemed to have disappeared, covered in vast gray veils.</p><p>Oikawa had tried his best, if that could be said. He attended the funeral and gave a short talk about the most important person in his life.</p><p>"Oikawa, it's time to go," Iwaizumi told him after everyone was gone.</p><p>Miki was waiting for them outside the church, constantly crying. Oikawa was still sitting, too terrified to leave. He didn't want to leave her, he didn't want to say goodbye.</p><p>"This is for you" his friend said, handing him a letter.</p><p>Oikawa did his best to catch a glimpse of it, as his vision was clouded with tears.</p><p>"Aya told me to give it to you"</p><p>Tooru took it and stared at it intently.</p><p>
  <em>She wrote me a letter…</em>
</p><p>“Maybe you better read it at home, Tooru. Let's go" said Hajime, taking his friend by the arm and leading him out.</p><p>This was how Tooru found himself in a corner of his room, with that letter in his hand. Three days had passed, and he still hadn't had the courage to read it. He didn't want those to be the last words Aya would say to him. Once read, there would be nothing more to learn from her. But he knew very well that he wouldn’t make it, he was too curious.</p><p>Tooru took a breath and opened the letter, starting to read.</p><p>
  <em>Hi Tooru, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>if you are reading this letter because you found it by rummaging through my things, put it back in its place immediately, baka, I'm serious. But if you're reading it because someone gave it to you, I'm sorry. </em>
</p><p>Oikawa began to sob, holding back the tears, his hands starting to shake.</p><p>
  <em>I am writing this letter while we are watching some detective movies you got yourself for my birthday. You fell asleep on my lap. You are really beautiful when you sleep, Tooru, did you know? My chest hurts a little, but the only thing I can think about right now is how much I love you. I don't know how long it's been for you since this moment. I don't want you to read this too soon, it would be unbearable. But I know that's not the case. I know it hasn't been long adn I’m so sorry about that. </em>
</p><p>Oikawa took a breath, trying to calm down, and continued reading.</p><p>
  <em>I have so many things to tell you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what happened, I'm sorry I left so soon. I'm so sorry that I can't be with you when you become the most famous photographer in the world or when you reach your goals. I'm sorry I left you like this and didn't tell you before. I really wanted to tell you, but I love you too much. I'm sorry that you found out and that you’ll suffer because of me for a while. I'm sorry you loved me, Tooru, that’s all my fault.</em>
</p><p>“Please don't apologize for this, Aya-chan" Tooru whispered, choking on a sob. He took another breath, closing his eyes for a moment, then continued.</p><p>
  <em>Thank you, Tooru. Thanks for all the memories you gave me and that I will carry with me forever. Thank you for telling me about the stars (you are really obsessed with them) and for exhibiting a photograph of me in your exhibition. Thanks for being my best friend before being my boyfriend. Thank you for always understanding me with a single glance and for letting me into your life. Thank you for letting me be by your side every day and for letting me love you.</em>
</p><p><br/>
"Aya-chan..."</p><p>
  <em>I don't know exactly where I’ll go, I’ll probably get confused among the many stars that already decorate the sky every night. Will you be able to find me, Tooru? I hope so, because I’ll be there to guide you whenever you need it. I know it will be difficult for you to move forward, but I want you to be happy again. I want you to smile even if I’m not there with you anymore. You are allowed to be happy without me, Tooru. You don't have to feel guilty if you laugh, meet new people, or even fall in love again. In fact, this is what I want most. I want you to find someone who loves you, takes care of you and makes you happy every day because you deserve it. Okay, maybe I should stop writing and cover you with a sheet, it's pretty cold. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Farewell, Oikawa Tooru. Just look up every time you miss me. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>I love you. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Your Aya-chan, Sasaki Aya. </em>
</p><p>Tooru could no longer contain himself. He began to cry hard, sobbing uncontrollably.</p><p>"I love you too" he whispered between sobs.</p><p>"I love you too! But I can't…I can't live…” Oikawa cried, trembling.</p><p>He brought a hand to his knee, squeezing it tightly, as he stared at the rain that continued to fall, nonstop.</p><p>
  <em>"What are you?!" Iwaizumi exclaimed incredulously. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“A star, Iwa-chan. You're also dumb as well as deaf” Oikawa said, laughing. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Oi…are you kidding me? Is this another of your ideas to justify your egotism?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Iwa-chan, I've never lied to you" Oikawa said, as he held out his hand. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Hajime looked at his friend's palm, which now shone with an intense light. His eyes widened in disbelief. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"How…?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“As a child I wanted to come to Earth. I wanted it so badly that they granted my wish, throwing me out of the sky. I would have lived as a human, but I would have been linked to one person forever” Tooru explained. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"That person is…" Iwaizumi said, sensing. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“That's right, Aya-chan. Furthermore, the bond with this person is marked by a wound. The first wound Aya-chan treated me was in my right knee. If our bond weakens or if Aya-chan leaves me…I would stop existing" Oikawa was terribly serious. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Would you go back to being a star?"</em>
</p><p>Now that Aya was gone, the pain in his knee gave him no respite. Oikawa felt weaker and weaker, and walked over to the window, admiring the storm that was gradually fading. The first stars began to appear and one, for an instant, seemed to light up more than the others.</p><p>"Aya-chan…" Oikawa whispered, smiling.</p><p> </p><p>The North Star is said to be the brightest of the stars. Some claim it’s the closest to us. Others think it’s due to two lovers who, once lost, found themselves in heaven and, by merging, gave life to the star that guides the lost travelers.</p>
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